


Forever Young

by NympheSama



Category: Endless Summer (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Dark!Taylor, Denial of Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Gay Bashing, Gay Sex, Humour, Immortality, Jake being an adorable little shit, Longing, M!Taylor - Freeform, M/M, Rough Kissing, Rough Sex, Supernatural Elements, gay kissing, hurty feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-10-14 04:15:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 41,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20594549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NympheSama/pseuds/NympheSama
Summary: Jake is convinced he has a guardian angelBut is Taylor really all he seems?





	1. The First Time...

**Author's Note:**

  * For [winchesteenwolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/winchesteenwolf/gifts).

> soooooooo
> 
> this is my love and my heart and my absolute passion/obsession.
> 
> I know I said I wasn't gonna start any new projects outside of my challenges/birthday fics - and this was SUPPOSED to be the challenge fic for October... but... I really love it  
and I really really REALLY want to share it and get feedback on it because... if it's as good as I desperately hope it is - then I'm considering name changing and sending this to a publisher.
> 
> I have 3 of 5 chapters finished; 26k so far  
this is really small in comparison but... its still a start
> 
> pleaaaaaaaase let me know what you make of it - firstly because I am attention starved right now and need love and secondly because I am so in love with it. I really hope I've done the idea justice.
> 
> x My love to you all x

**Forever Young.**

The first time Jake saw  _ him _ ; he was just four years old, though no less of a fearless and scrappy young fighter. Separated from his parents after they'd stopped for lunch, alone and pretending he wasn't scared while on holiday in a foreign country, on an unknown street. He met the eyes of men determinedly, not fearless but certainly with enough bravado to appear it. When one dirty and clearly unsavoury character approached him, he kicked the man in the shins; and ran deeper into the unknown territory, quickly disappearing from the old man's reach through a hole in the wall of an old and abandoned bakery.

Jake looked around curiously, shaking his head and brushing a spiders web from his shoulder length hair. He turned slowly, his piercing cerulean eyes wide as he backed away from the hole, which was blessedly too small for the man to crawl through. He curled his small hand into a fist, determined not to cry as the man cursed and began to stomp away. With his heart racing in his chest, relief at the man leaving clashed abruptly with the fear that he may not find his parents again.

His heart leapt into his throat, a small yelp of surprise escaping him at the loud bang from the wall, which appeared to collapse inward; as the dirty and unsavoury man stumbled forward before quickly regaining his balance. "Teach you 'bout kickin' folks! You need some goddamn manners,  _ boy _ ..!" The man snarled, scowling as he spotted Jake through the disturbed dust clouds around them.

"Fuck off!" Jake yelled back, repeating some of his father's favourite words to the stranger, though his young voice held none of the warning which a grown man's would have. He looked around, backing away when he was unable to spot any way for him to escape. "I'll… I'll scream!" He threatened, his small heart pounding with both adrenaline and fear as the man snorted and slowly stalked forward. "I'll… I'll bite anythin' of ya comes close!" He tried again, stepping back again and pressing his back to the wall.

The man scoffed, his face twisted with rage as he curled back his arm and then backhanded Jake across the mouth, his head turning as he flew sideways and finally crumpled to the ground. Despite the pain, Jake grit his teeth, allowing himself only a small sob before shakily gathering himself and pushing to his feet; turning with a glare that would've made wiser men tremble. The atmosphere changed abruptly, as Jake's small hands balled into fists, his breath quickening as the man stepped forward, before suddenly stilling.

"This really seems excessive for one little boy." A bored voice drawled from somewhere in the shadows around them, startling Jake as his eyes flit around the room again, realising he was now boxed in by two grown men. "I mean, I can see he's smarter than you and understand that pisses you off and all, but I don't think it calls for such violence towards someone so young." The voice continued, as Jake looked around the few dark areas, licking his lips as he tried to find where the other threat was stationed. "How about, you do as the little lad said… and 'fuck off'? Before things get out of hand."

"Who the hell are you?!" The dirty man demanded, scowling as he whirled and tried to find the other adult in the room. "What the fuck business is it of yours what happens to this little shit? How about  _ you _ piss off, and leave me to teach this brat some goddamn manners?"

"I think his manners are quite fine actually… hell," the voice sneered, though the speaker seemed to sound somewhat amused to Jake's ears. "I'd even go so far as to say he's rather charming, actually. Spunky little fella… a little lone wolf, feral only if cornered. I think I quite like him." They said cheerfully, a clank causing the dirty man to spin and gaze into the shadows behind him suspiciously, before the crunch of rubble made him whirl forward again. "Now. I really think you should be leaving…" they drawled slowly, as a breeze rippled through the room, causing Jake to shiver as he pressed himself against the wall behind him; his clear eyes darting around the room nervously.

"Mind ya own fuckin' business, and leave me to mine!" The dirty man snarled, scowling into the shadows as he jabbed a finger towards Jake's face, quickly drawing his hand back when Jake tried to bite his finger. "You little sh-!" The man raised his hand for another blow, but his insult was cut short by loud, amused laughter.

"Oh wow... I'm sorry but I've decided. I  _ definitely  _ like you, kid." The voice gasped, peals of joyful giggling ringing through the air around them alongside the echo of slow footsteps, crunching on broken stone. "Unfortunately, that makes this a very dire situation for  _ you _ , mister dirtbag." The voice teased, an ominous edge creeping into the playful tone. "So, if I were you… I would skedaddle about now, before that option becomes, uh…  _ unavailable _ ." They whispered, their words carrying easily through the dark shadows around them as all sounds of movement came to a sudden halt.

Jake's eyes widened, darting toward the only exit; the crumbled wall behind the dirty man who'd chased him. "Get bent, asshole!" The man snarled, scowling into the darkness.

Jake's breath quickened, his eyes flitting between the man and the wall; his small hands balled into tight fists as he shoved off the wall and made a desperate dash toward the hole. His heart faltered when he felt a tight hand clamp around his wrist, yanking him around to face the dirty man as he leered down at him smugly; before his face twisted into a shocked and fearful scream, though the only.sound to escape his lips was a soft gasp of disbelief. The man's hand released Jake's wrist as he instead reached for him, his feet kicking in the empty air beneath him as he rose off the floor in what seemed like slow motion; before rushing backward to disappear into the shadows.

Jake fell to his ass, staring in wide eyed disbelief at the loud crash, which was quickly followed by a faint dust cloud, hovering just outside of the light from the hole in the wall. A heavy heartbeat of silence passed, before slow footsteps crunched over the rubble on the floor, a dark silhouette forming as it strode closer through the disturbed dust. "Ah…" Jake breathed, his jaw dropping in awe as he saw two scarlet eyes slowly open and peer down at him from the shadows. He stared as the figure broke through the gloom, blinking as they stepped into the light, to reveal their bright red eyes were in fact a deep, oceanic blue.

The figure paused, cocking their head as they looked down at him uncertainly. "Are you… alright? He didn't hurt you?" They asked quietly, as Jake stared in awe at the vibrant and fiery halo of red hair which appeared to glow in the sunlight, as it cascaded over their shoulders. His clear eyes drank in the beautiful vision, his jaw continuing to hang open as he found himself unable to tear his eyes away. "Hmm," the figure hummed thoughtfully, as Jake belated realised it was a man. The man grinned lopsidedly, slowly hunkering down and folding his arms around his knees as he perched on the balls of his feet before Jake, his head tipping further as he narrowed his eyes playfully. "You're… not afraid of me at all, are you?" He asked with obvious amusement, his dark eyes glittering happily as he ran them over Jake curiously.

"... uh uh." Jake finally managed to croak, forcing himself to blink as he examined the man's face eagerly. The red haired man laughed, the sound giddy and joyful as Jake's hand clutched at his own foot, his lips curving into a natural smile at the other man's obvious enjoyment of his behaviour. "Ya pretty..." He said quietly, biting his lip shyly when the red haired man laughed again and covered his face with his hands in amused embarrassment.

"Well goodness! Aren't  _ you _ quite the little charmer?" He teased warmly, his eyes closing and crinkling at the corners when he smiled widely behind his hands. Jake giggled as the man slowly lowered his fingers, revealing his smile as he peered at Jake curiously. "Huh… well, I have to tell you my fearless little friend, this is really quite the turn up for my books." He said, resting his cheek in his palm atop his knees. "I honestly can't say I've had such an interesting day in… well, a  _ very _ long time." He laughed quietly, his gaze softening as his eyes turned distant.

Jake frowned, cocking his head as he examined the suddenly changed but no less beautiful expression on the red headed man's face. "... why ya sad, mister pretty?" He asked, a proud smile lighting his face again as the red headed man laughed again and covered his mouth with his fingers.

"Oh... my god." He laughed, shaking his head as he lowered his eyes to the floor, before looking up at Jake warmly. "Okay, I'm gonna ask you something; and I want you to know, that I'm not like that… creepy pervert fella over there." He said, licking his upper row of teeth slowly. "So… how old are you, fearless little wolf?" He asked, smiling as he tipped his head back and assessed Jake fondly.

Jake pursed his lips, wrinkling his nose as he remembered the various lessons he'd been taught about talking to strangers; before deciding that the rules didn't apply to this man. "'M four…" he said, offering his hand as his father had taught him to. "Jake M'Kenny." He said firmly, pouting when the redhead practically squealed and beamed at him, before snatching up his hand and shaking it between both of his own eagerly.

"Oh… my god." He gushed, as he sucked in a deep breath through his teeth and shook his head. "You are just  _ adorable. _ " He sighed, cocking his head as he eyed Jake fondly. "Well, that was quite the warm, southern greeting… so, I-" he said, licking his lips as he hesitated, before smiling warmly. "I'm Taylor." He said, biting his lip and ducked his head, peeking up at Jake from beneath his lashes as the boy smiled brightly, snickering as he watched the red haired man sigh and roll his eyes. "I… cannot  _ believe _ I am being schmoozed by a four year old." He said, attempting and failing to hide the blush which coloured his cheeks as he laughed quietly.

"Huh..?" Jake frowned, as Taylor shook his head and waved the comment away, clearing his throat as he glanced aside.

" _ Ahem _ , let's just uh, never mind about... that." He said quickly, huffing with amusement as he met Jake's clear cerulean eyes with his own dark orbs. "You know what, just… ask your mommy and daddy about it sometime. When you're older." He snickered, his warm smile faltering when Jake looked down at his lap. "Speaking of…" Taylor drawled slowly, his free hand moving forward, a finger curling beneath Jake's chin to force his clear eyes back up to meet his now curious and concerned gaze. "Did you happen to lose them somewhere?" He asked quietly, though Jake could tell he already knew the answer.

Instead of speaking Jake nodded, half turning to glance out the hole in the wall. Taylor followed his gaze, his smile returning as he pinched Jake's cheek playfully. "Well." He said, slapping his knees as he sprang to his feet with an enthusiastic bounce. "I bet they are just all torn up, over losing such a handsome, charming and  _ brave _ little wolf pup." He teased, as Jake smiled despite his confused frown. "Stop looking at me like that, you little devil. Else I might not be able to give you back to your parents when we find them." He huffed, holding out his hand to Jake with a soft, fond smile.

Jake blinked, before grinning broadly and hurrying to scramble to his feet, his small hand slipping into Taylor's warm palm without hesitation. He looked up at the red haired man with a curious expression, chewing his lip shyly as the man shook his head and led him through the hole into the daylight beyond. "Ah…" Jake's breath caught, his small feet stumbling briefly as he stared up at the redhead, who raised an amused brow at the youngsters awed expression. "Are ya a angel..?" Jake breathed, tipping his head in confusion but smiling nonetheless, when the redhead burst out in loud, delighted laughter.

"Oh god, you're going to be  _ lethal _ when you're older!" Taylor chuckled breathlessly, his long hair dancing around his face in the breeze, as he shook his head and looked around to try and hide the colour rushing to stain his cheeks. "Four years old and smoother than a seasoned pro…" he huffed, clearing his throat as they walked in silence for a short time. Jake frowned, worried he'd said something wrong, until the man glanced down at him with a sad, lopsided grin. "I'm not an angel, no… I'm uh, I'm a lot of things.  _ Complicated _ things." He said distantly, looking ahead as he led them forward, while Jake trotted along beside him. "But, uh… an angel is definitely  _ not _ one of them. Heh, I'm pretty sure that's off my repertoire for life." He snorted, shaking his head as he led them out of the unknown street and back onto another, which Jake was able to vaguely recognise.

"I think ya a angel." Jake mused, glancing up when the red headed man looked down in surprise. "Pretty angel." He said, giggling at the amused but embarrassed laugh which the man released at his words.

"Well…" Taylor said, clearing his throat as he led Jake to a small restaurant and came to a halt. "I will, uh... be sure to remember that. Jake." He said, shaking his head fondly as he peered down at Jake, before blinking abruptly and gesturing through the restaurant window. "I'm uh, pretty sure your parents are somewhere in there. Try not to wander off again, huh? Even if you are a brave little, lone wolf." He teased warmly, smiling as he squeezed Jake's hand before releasing it and clearing his throat. "Well uh, off you trot then." He said, bumping his fist gently to Jake's chin, just as a relieved cry drew his attention into the restaurant.

Jake watched as his mother locked eyes on him, frantically directing his father to collect him as she leaned against a counter. "... thanks." He said, his nose wrinkling as he looked up at the redhead, blinking innocently at the genuine surprise on the man's face.

"Well… it's been a real  _ experience _ , I gotta say." Taylor chuckled, spreading his palms as he backed away. "Be safe, kid." He said, winking before turning and walking away.

Jake curled his hands into balls, shaking his head and sniffling quietly, biting back the tears of a thousand tangled emotions which he felt building in his throat. His father chose that moment to rush out of the restaurant, swooping him into his arms and spinning him around in relief. Jake whined in distress, twisting and craning his neck desperately over his shoulder to try and keep sight of the man who'd rescued and returned him. He spotted him briefly, at the end of the street, a smile curling his lips when the redhead turned and raised a hand to wave cheerfully. With only the time it took to blink however, Taylor was gone.


	2. The Second Time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I shouldn't be posting this yet - especially with my other stuff I need to be working on, but what can I say; I'm attention starved XD
> 
> So.... feedback me up please, and I can post part 3 tomorrow? ;p
> 
> x My love to you all x

**Forever Young.**

The second time Jake saw _ him _, he was fifteen. Out after curfew, in the swampy forest by the edge of the town; shirtless and at the centre of a small ring of boys, fighting with a grimace and the cocky bravado of an adept fighter. His clear eyes were sharp as he glanced around the ring and barely ducked a heavy blow aimed at his jaw. His breath came in quick pants, as he dodged, blocked and attacked with fervour, his teeth gritting whenever a blow connected to his body. "C'mon ya goddamn assholes!" He growled, laughing darkly when his fist connected with a boys nose with a loud crack and a spray of blood. "Think ya so fuckin' tough?! Let's see ya pick on someone ya own fuckin' size!" He spat, twisting to avoid a series of punches from his assailants.

"Haha, little Jakey Wakey thinks he can take us on!" Laughed a brute of a boy, the veins on his thick arms straining as he drew his arm back and drove it forward quickly, striking Jake squarely in the gut. 

"_ Oof _!" Jake grunted, his breath leaving him in a rush as he staggered backwards and clapped his hands to his knees. He bowed his head, sniffing loudly before spitting a small wad of blood onto the ground. He shook his head, slowly peering up from beneath the curtain of his hair. "... that the best ya got?" He demanded, snorting as he scruffed the back of his hand under his nose, before dragging his fingers upward to flip back his hair. "Here I was thinkin' ya were real hardasses… given what ya did and all." He sneered, scowling hatefully at the brute who'd briefly winded him. "Guess it must've just been 'roid rage, huh? Lucky timin' for ya or somethin'-"

"You got a big mouth, _ fairy _ ." The brute roared, nudging a friend with his elbow and gesturing to Jake, a cruel edge to his smug expression as he glared across the ring of boys at Jake. "Must be why ya little _ boyfriend _ liked ya so much. Shame he can't appreciate it anymore, huh?"

"Ya fuckin' _ psychotic prick! _ " Jake roared, thrashing as three boys grabbed his arms and held him back from launching a fierce attack at the smug brute. "The fuck did Mike ever do to _ you _, ya sack of piss?!" He demanded, growling as he heaved and tried to free himself; though more of the ring abandoned their post to restrain him.

The brute scoffed, looking around the other ous as if stunned by Jake's query. He shook his head as he faced him, casually strolling forward with a cocky swagger. Finally he clucked his tongue, as he leaned forward conspiratorially. "That little faggot… _ exists. _ " He spat, sneering and pulling away again as he ran his eyes over Jake dispassionately; unimpressed by his increased thrashing and struggling to attack him. "Just like _ you.. _." he added quietly, his thick arms tensing as he balled his meaty hands into fists.

"Give it ya best shot," Jake taunted, grinning bitterly as he waved his brows in invitation. "Though, don't seem like ya best's all that great on ya own... considerin' ya need _ all _ ya friends to help ya." He laughed darkly, straining against the hands restraining him briefly, before allowing himself to be pulled backwards. "Ya ain't nothin' but a fuckin' bully, Tetra; and a piss poor one at that… seein' as ya such a _ fuckin' coward! _" He yelled, gritting his teeth as he yanked a hand free and smashed it into another boys eye, before backhanding another and sending them spiralling to the ground.

"Jesus fuckin' christ, would ya get a hold of this piece of trash already?!" Tetra snarled, reaching for the Jake's shoulder and grazing the skin with his nails. "You're a sick fucking shit… just like Darwin." He sneered, as Jake growled and threw himself forward, heedless of his recaptured hand in his need to strike the other boy. "Lucky us," he said slowly, his expression twisting with gleeful malice. "We know a good way to uh, _straighten_ _things out_."

Jake's lip curled, glaring at Tetra as his fist rose, refusing to look away and instead thrusting his chin forward tauntingly. "Asshole…" he scoffed, his sharp cerulean eyes glinting as Tetra snarled and drove his fist forward. "_ Oof- _ !" Jake grunted, gritting his teeth as he swayed sideways, kept up on his feet; only by the various hands restraining him. He panted for breath, shaking his head as he flexed his jaw as much as he was able. "Heh," he huffed, clearing his throat as he slowly faced forward, smirking as he ran his tongue over his split lip. "Guess I was right… ya really _ can't _ hit for shit." He snorted, laughing as his clear eyes darkened with grim amusement.

"You piece of-" Tetra began, his arm rising again as his face twisted with rage. "I'm gonna destroy you, you stupid fucking _ fairy _..!" He roared, as Jake licked his split lip and shifted his weight as much as he could, bracing himself expectantly. Tetra grimaced as his fist rushed forward, time seeming to pause abruptly as Jake blinked; Tetra's fist quivering as it hovered in the air before his face. "What the-?!" He snarled, trailing off as his eyes widened in surprise and disbelief.

"You know…" a bored voice drawled, as Jake blinked, the corner of his lip quirking upward briefly. "I'm probably in the minority here, but uh…" the voice continued, as the speaker cocked their head, a bemused grin stretching across their face as they looked at Tetra with a deceptively friendly air. "I've never actually been into the whole, gangbang scene."

Jake snorted with amusement, grinning at Tetra as he hissed and squirmed, trying unsuccessfully to yank his wrist free of the newcomers tight grip. His clear eyes abandoned his tormentor, sliding sideways to examine the high cheekbones and shaggy red hair of his rescuer. "Heh, whaddaya know?" He murmured to himself, tipping his chin toward the sight of Tetra's restrained wrist; the newcomers arm locked so tightly it barely even trembled from Tetra' increasingly outraged struggles. "Looks like there _ is _ a higher power fella's… and it's sent me a little help." He said, smirking as he spread his palms and feigned nonchalance. "Sent me _ an angel. _" He said pointedly, his clear eyes glittering as he looked at the newcomer fully, snorting at the surprised eyes which glanced over and examined him.

"Well, would you look at that..." They said slowly, half turning without releasing Tetra's wrist, a surprised but amused grin curling their lips as their eyes glittered with recognition. "Didn't I tell you not to wander off on your own again... little wolf?" They drawled, shaking their head as they gestured to the boys restraining Jake with their free hand. "Making friends again, I see." They huffed knowingly.

"It's my sparklin' personality." Jake replied glibly, his eyes slowly roaming over his rescuer as he shook his head and drew in a deep breath. "Ya ain't changed." He stated, meeting dark blue eyes as they turned abruptly cautious. "'Cept ya hair. But it just makes ya even prettier than back then... Taylor." He said simply smiling as Taylor laughed warmly, before wincing sharply when one of the boys holding him made exaggerated gagging sounds and twisted his arm back viciously.

"Sick fuckin' bastard, shut the fuck up!" They snarled, as Jake grit his teeth and tore his eyes from the redhead to scowl at the speaker. "What we did to Darwin? Ain't gonna fucking compare to what we do to you and you're little fairy friend here-" 

"Uh, excuse me, didn't your mother ever teach you it's _ rude _to interrupt when others are talking?" Taylor asked, frowning as he gripped the other boys shirt with his free hand and pulled him forward, forcing him to release Jake's arm as he tried to claw at the hand before his chest with frantic, wide eyes. "I don't abide rudeness." He said quietly, his dark eyes glittering as he stared at the suddenly paralyzed boy. For a heartbeat there was nothing; no sound and no movement among the group, until Taylor winked quickly and tossed the boy over his shoulder without looking back, instead inspecting the now nervous crowd. "Anyone else like to call me or my young friend here, nasty names?" He asked pleasantly, smiling around the group playfully.

The group flinched collectively as the boy impacted the ground some distance away, the brief snap of something echoing through the air, before the boy rolled to an unmoving heap. "Heh… that makes two." Jake snorted, grinning lopsidedly as Taylor raised a brow at him curiously. "Assholes I've seen ya send flyin' for me." He snickered in smug clarification, waving his brows as Taylor smiled and lowered his eyes. "Guess ya still savin' lost pups, wherever ya go, huh?"

"Oh my..!" Taylor laughed, his hair flicking around his face as he shook his head, looking back at Jake with a surprised grin and noticeably darker cheeks. "I said you'd be lethal when you were older." He huffed, his dark eyes glittering with amusement as Jake threw him a cocky wink.

"Fucking _ fairies! _ " Tetra snarled, yanking viciously to free his wrist to no avail, as Taylor glanced over with a surprised blink, as if he'd forgotten he was restraining him. "We'll make each and every one of you regret being so fucking _ sick _!" He roared, the thick veins of his arm looking taut enough to burst at any moment.

"Well that's just not nice…" Taylor said, frowning as he examined Tetra dismissively. "I mean, I always thought fairies were cute, personally. I think it's the little squashed noses, but I guess it could be the wings, all pretty colours and-" he babbled glibly, until he was interrupted by Tetra's furious snarling.

"Fucking stupid _ queer _ !" He raged, throwing himself desperately to try and free himself, heedless of Taylor's sudden silence. "All of them acting so fucking weird, doin' _ sick _ shit with each other!" He growled, throwing a heated and arrogant grin at Jake, as he tensed and struggled against the hands restraining him. "Least Darwin won't be out on the streets anymore…" he taunted in a low voice, laughing darkly when Jake scowled and struggled to free himself.

"My, my…" Taylor drawled in a bored voice, though Jake glanced over and ceased his struggling as he listened, noticing the hard glint of the redheads dark eyes. "Someone has a real potty mouth… and here I thought this was supposed to be the age of acceptance." He said, smirking innocently as he slowly tightened his grip and caused Tetra to wince as he clawed at the hand on his wrist.

"You don't get it… this guys a fuckin' fag, what the fuck're you stopping us for?!" Tetra demanded, scowling at Taylor as his wrist turned white around the redheads tight grip. The boy's eyes narrowed, his teeth clenched tightly as he hissed out a sharp breath of pain and frustration. "You some kinda fag lover? You're just as bad as they are-"

"Oh no, no, no little boy…" Taylor said, smiling sweetly as he leaned conspiratorially toward Tetra's ear. "I'm much…" he whispered, a bright smile contradicting his low but playful tone. "_ Much _ worse." He said, pausing for a moment to lean closer and trail the tip of his tongue along the outer shell of Tetra's ear, ignoring his struggling and his snarls of disgust; before pulling him off his feet by his wrist, turning in a fluid and graceful motion to swing the boy around like a mere blanket.

"Urgh!" Tetra grunted, as Taylor swung him into his friends, knocking them all to the ground along with Jake, though they were forced to release him in order to save themselves from the fall.

Jake grimaced upon impact, but quickly rolled away from the group, springing to a low crouch on his knees as he scowled at the other boys. His expression cleared with a blink however, when an open hand appeared before him. He looked up to see Taylor peering down at him thoughtfully, his dark eyes glowing with a fading hint of red as the corner of his lip twitched. "You're not afraid of me at all, are you?" He asked, a bemused but curious grin forming as Jake stared at him in awe.

"Uh uh." He replied, slapping his hand into Taylor's warm palm easily and grinning as the redhead pulled him to his feet. "Ya too pretty to be scared of…" he said, winking when Taylor laughed and tried to hide his reddening face behind his hand. "Ya ain't aged a day in eleven years." He added in a softer tone for their ears alone, his clear eyes noting the brief tense of Taylor's shoulders, before he dropped his hands to his hips and smiled at Jake coyly. 

"Well, I do have a _ fabulous _ moisturiser routine every morning, you know…" he said playfully, his dark eyes surveying Jake curiously, before he turned to the group of boys; currently too stunned and winded to even attempt scrambling back to their feet. "Now, what is this I've stumbled upon here?" He asked, pointing toward Tetra with a delicate gesture of his finger. "Him, _ especially _ I want to know about."

Jake grimaced, his hands balling into fists as he moved to step closer to the brute, only to glance down when a hand pressed gently to his chest. He looked over at Taylor, who raised a brow and continued to wait; though the warm touch of his palm to Jake's chest never faltered. "These _ assholes _ …" he began, pausing as he clamped his jaws together, sucking in a deep breath as he bit back the tide of grief and tears which tried to overwhelm him. "These lowlife pieces of fuckin' _ scum _ … beat the shit outta my best friend three nights ago." He said, swallowing thickly as he felt the familiar fury of the past few days surge through him. "One of these little _ cowards _ saw us ki-" he paused, glancing over at Taylor uncertainly. He relaxed somewhat when Taylor smiled crookedly, sensing the man's encouragement for him; and a simmering darkness somewhere beneath. "It weren't even… we were drunk." Jake admitted quietly, drawing in a deep, shamy breath as he forced a hand to release from its tight ball and dragged his fingers through his hair. "We ain't even interested in each other… just foolin' around. But this little posse of _ scum _ couldn't handle seein' two guys lockin' lips. So when they saw Mike walkin' home alone, they-" he fell silent, the words cloying in his throat and choking him as he swallowed heavily. He bit his lip and winced at the sting from his split lip, unsurprised to see blood on his fingers after lifting his fingers to the wound. "Shit… sorry." He muttered, shaking his head as he glanced over at Taylor, who stood tensely and stared at the other boys intently.

"Hmm, I don't think you're really the one who should be apologising here." Taylor hummed dismissively, stalking forward slowly and circling the tangled limbs of the dazed boys attempting to free themselves from each other with a thoughtful expression. "So, I'm guessing you came looking for vengeance? So you can go tell your friend that you made things right?" He finally asked, barely glancing at Jake before quickly looking back at the others again.

Jake lowered his eyes to the ground, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails bit small semi circles into his palms. "Oh…" Jake reluctantly looked up at the soft sound of realisation, his clear gaze cutting into Taylor's vast, dark orbs as the redhead walked back and stilled before him. "When?" He asked quietly, his eyes searching Jake's sympathetically.

"His folks decided this mornin'..." Jake said thickly, trying to lower his eyes and hide his grief again, when he was distracted by Taylor's fingers grazing his elbow in comfort. He peeked back at Taylor through his lashes, shrugging his shoulder to attempt a nonchalance he knew he couldn't pull off. "They're turnin' off support in early hours tomorrow. Somethin' about quiet time, less distress? Shit... I dunno. So, I was just… walkin' and tryin' to clear my head… ready for..." He said distantly, before his cerulean eyes sharpened and he shifted his gaze over Taylor's shoulder. "Then I bumped into these _ cowards _… and I decided to give 'em a little hell." He said darkly, sneering as Tetra began to stir fully, trying to wave his arm above the others to find purchase and pull himself up.

"I see." Taylor said, nodding knowingly as he began to turn away, before pausing and lowering his eyes to Jake's split lip. "I take it that was shortly before my very timely intervention." He snickered, seeming relieved but mildly confused by the small snort of laughter which escaped Jake.

"Ya say timely…" Jake huffed, "I say _ heavenly _." He snickered, spreading his palms as he winked coyly and grinned at Taylor's resulting quiet laughter and light blush. 

"God, you're gonna give me such an ego boost, little wolf..." The redhead muttered with a playful pout, before his gaze softened and he examined Jake thoughtfully. "You're still content to insist that I'm an angel, huh?" He asked wryly, raising a brow when Jake waved his own.

"A pretty fuckin' hot one at that." Jake huffed, smirking when Taylor laughed with sudden surprise, amusement and delight.

"Wow. That's…" Taylor chuckled, his hand rising to twist the end of his hair around his finger. "_ Ahem _.... that's quite the upgrade." He huffed, clearing his throat and averting his eyes briefly as his cheeks darkened, cutting his gaze back to Jake with a sly smirk. "That silver tongue of yours is gonna get you in trouble one day, little wolf."

"Already does, every damn day." Jake assured proudly, a small grin playing on his face as he licked his injured lip and waved his brows suggestively. "And uh… I ain't so little anymore, 'case ya ain't noticed." He drawled, flicking his hair from his face with a toss of his head as he all out smirked at the redhead.

"Ah, I uh…" Taylor coughed, flicking his eyes over Jake's firm arms and developing six pack with an amused grin. "I did happen to notice that, actually… yeah." He laughed quietly, his dark eyes softening as they lingered in comfortable, thoughtful silence for a brief pause. "So uh," Taylor said, clapping his hand to the nape of his neck as he turned back to the recovering pile of boys, gesturing with the thumb of his free hand. "Were you planning to kick all of their asses personally or, would you be willing to… name a champion? So to speak..." He asked, waiting patiently while Jake sucked in a deep breath and looked over at the other boys dispassionately, watching them groan and grunt and begin to regain their feet slowly.

"Ya really winded 'em." He commented lightly, narrowing his eyes as he considered. "Have at 'em." He said at last, exhaling heavily as he returned his eyes to the redhead. "Somethin' tells me ya can make 'em regret it better'n I ever could." He said, grinning crookedly as Taylor tensed briefly, before looking over with a politely confused smile.

"... you might think I'm scary if I go all out." He warned, a flash of white momentarily distracting Jake, as Taylor bit his lip uncertainly. "Normally that isn't something that would bother me, but…" he said, pausing to suck on his lower lip a he frowned. "I dunno, I guess… considering you weren't as an adorable little wolf pup and, you weren't eleven years later… just seems a little disappointing to think you might-"

"Taylor, shut up and get on with it, if ya gonna do it…" Jake snorted, winking at the redhead confidently. "Ain't a damn thing ya can do that's gonna make me scared of ya." He swore, raising a brow in challenge as Taylor tried to hide a grin and ultimately failed.

"You say that…" he said, sauntering around Jake in a slow circle as he examined him in thoughtful curiosity. "You're sure?" He asked as he completed his circle and turned to face Jake, who stared in silent wonder for an extended heartbeat; watching Taylor's eyes as they swirled with a deep crimson, just beneath the surface. He nodded mutely, not even realising he'd held his breath until Taylor looked away and he found himself exhaling a heavy rush of air. "Hmm… well, I really think we should make an example of everyone here. So, let's save mister potty mouth for last, shall we?" Taylor mused aloud, walking over to the group and laying his hand on Tetra's shoulder. "I'm sorry, but you're gonna just have to sit this part out. Don't worry, I'll wake you up in a few minutes for your turn." He said cheerfully, tossing Tetra to the side easily and smiling at the heavy crunch with which he connected to the nearest tree, several feet away.

"Okay," he said, his hair dancing lightly in the breeze as Jake watched with his heart in his throat, his hands balled into tight fists as his stomach cramped with a warped sense of vindication. "Who would like to be the _ first _ example tonight?" Taylor asked, clapping his hands together as if he were a teacher talking to small children. "No volunteers? Tsk tsk, shame on you all…" he snickered, strolling around the group to a boy who was attempting to stagger away on shaky legs. " _ You _," Taylor hummed, picking him up by his shirt collar without pause, the boys feet scuffing uselessly in the dirt as Taylor inspected him. "What did you do to mister uh…" he paused, glancing at Jake with a raised brow briefly. "Darwin, was it?"

"Mike…" Jake replied thickly, nodding his head as his throat constricted painfully. "Yeah… Mike Darwin."

"There we go, mister Darwin… so, what was _ your _ part in that uh, _ debacle _?" Taylor said, his eyes returning to the straining teen in his hold. The boy whimpered, as Taylor blinked, smiling sweetly as his brow furrowed in mock confusion. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear that… you'll have to speak up, I'm afraid." He said conversationally, his hand shifting from the boys shirt collar to his shoulder slowly.

"Ah!" The boy cried, clawing at the hand on his shoulder despite the seemingly gentle touch. Jake's brows rose in surprise, his arms folding over his chest as he watched Taylor peer intently at the boy, his cheerful smile never faltering as his captive screamed and squirmed frantically at the small cracks which split the air. "I didn't..! I only hit him a little, I swear! I didn't hardly- _ argh _!" The boy screamed piercingly as Taylor's gaze hardened, his hand leaving the boys shoulder after a loud and sickly crunch.

"Hmm…" Taylor hummed thoughtfully, looking over at Jake with a warm, lopsided grin. "I don't like liars." He said simply, looking back at the boy as he knelt on the ground, sobbing and clutching at his shoulder. "So, who would like to take their turn next?" He asked brightly, looking around the other boys expectantly as they gave a collective flinch and glanced at each other, before turning and scattering as one. "Oh, come on! It's not _ that _ bad! He's milking it!" The redhead called after them as he rolled his eyes and kicked the still sniffling boy over. "It's _ just _ a shattered shoulder!" He called, pouting as he glanced back at Jake. "God, you teens are so _ dramatic _." He sighed, winking as he moved after one of the other boys.

"Hey, don't go lumpin' me in with these shitheads…" Jake scoffed, narrowing his eyes as Taylor sashayed after one of the further boys, seeming to move faster than the fleeing teens, despite his slow motions. Jake smirked as the redhead peeked back at him playfully, his hand tugging lightly at the cuff of a boys jacket and sending them sprawling to the ground ahead of them. "I'm a goddamn wolf, remember? Seven years to each of theirs. Prob'ly makes me even older'n _ you _, bein' honest…" he said teasingly, his smirk growing as Taylor laughed in pleased surprise.

"Oh, really?" The redhead demanded haughtily, raising a brow as he caught another boy by the back of his trousers waistband, despite the fact that he'd been several paces away from both Taylor and the other boy he'd brought down. "I guess that depends rather… I mean, just how old do you think I am, exactly?" The redhead asked curiously, his finger never flinching despite the boy desperately tugging to free himself from his hold on his jeans. "And be gentle! I'm very sensitive about my age.. hence my moisturisers." He said, licking along his upper teeth as he grinned and waved his brows, releasing the boys jeans and causing him to slam face first into a tree.

"Well, by my reckonin'..." Jake hummed, scratching his throat in idle thoughtfulness, as he watched Taylor laugh and hop across a large gap in a single, dainty movement. "Ya gotta be at least hittin' thirty… I mean, that's _ if _ ya were under twenty back when I got lost, which," he said, pausing to grin at Taylor when he looked over his shoulder at him, barely seeming to notice his hand sweeping around him as he turned; knocking a boy off course and sending him spiralling through the air into another two boys just behind him. "... I don't think ya were." He admitted, his brows raised in thoughtful examination of Taylor's amused grin.

"Oof, _ thirty?! _ " Taylor laughed, his dark eyes appearing to glow with amusement over the distance, a red gleam catching briefly as he turned and swished his arms before himself as he made slow, exaggerated movements after another boy; who had just reached the streetlight beyond the edge of the forest. "Jeez, what happened to being gentle?" He asked with a pout, standing still and stretching out his arms; catching the boy by the throat when he ran into his open hand abruptly and turning his head towards him with feigned innocence. "Did you just hear that cheek? He said I looked _ thirty _!" He demanded incredulously, ignoring the boys frantic choking.

"Hey, I never said anythin' of the sort… I _ said _ ya gotta be pushin' thirty, considerin' the time that's passed since I last saw ya." Jake laughed dryly, scratching the tip of his nose as Taylor shook his head fondly. Jake lowered his hand slowly, staring in awe as Taylor passed beneath the streetlight, his hair glowing a vivid scarlet as he slowly stalked back toward the group of boys he'd prevented from escaping. He swallowed thickly, positive that he could still see the crimson glow of Taylor's eyes even after he'd stepped back into the shadows. He shifted his weight, ignoring the stirring in his gut as he blinked; and found himself face to face with Taylor's dark blue eyes.

"Then ignoring how much time has passed…" Taylor said leadingly, frowning and squeezing the throat of his captive when they huffed and wheezed for breath. "How old would you say I was, just from how I _ look _?" He demanded quietly, grinning when Jake rolled his eyes and made a show of thinking.

"I'd guess… well," he drawled, pursing his lips playfully as Taylor narrowed his eyes. "I mean, I'd have to get a much better look before I could _ really _ make a judgement." He said innocently, tickling his chin with the fingers of one hand, while gesturing with the other toward Taylor suggestively, his lips twitching with amusement as his clear eyes gleamed with barely repressed mischief. He dropped his eyes, flicking them over Taylor as the redheads jaw dropped in a wide smile and he erupted with stunned, breathless laughter.

"Oh, my god..!" Taylor gasped, shaking his head slowly as he forced his mouth to finally close, biting his lip and snickering softly. "You are just… oh!" He began coyly, before blinking and looking at the boy whom he still held captive by the throat. "Do you see how distracting you and your flattery is, little wolf?" He demanded, grinning despite his reproachful tone, as he squeezed the boys throat and sighed. "_ Ahem _ , now. Just what was _ your _ role in all of this…" he asked, glancing around at the other mostly still bodies which littered the area. " _ Unpleasantness. _" He said, setting the boy on his feet and releasing his throat, peering at him expectanrly as he held him up by his collar.

"I-" the boy rasped, clutching at his throat as he tried to suck in as much air as he could. "I didn't-" he gasped, flinching when Taylor's hands shifted from his collar to his shoulders, his lips twisted into a grim line as he waited for the boy to finish. "I d-didn't mean for Darwin to _ die _ …" he finally gagged, coughing loudly and massaging his sore throat. "I t-thought we'd just muss him up a little! Stop him… doin' _ that _ out on the street..! I-I didn't… I didn't-"

"Ah…" Taylor hummed lowly, nodding his head in understanding as he glanced over at Jake. "I believe we've found the little rascal who tattled on you and your friend." He said quietly, one hand drifting slowly up to the boys throat and hovered; not yet applying pressure but panicking the boy sufficiently. "But it seems he repents somewhat, so… what do you think? Should we consider this a lesson learnt and let the wee scamp go?" He asked Jake conversationally, turning to blink and wait for his response.

Jake stared at the other boy, his emotions an indecipherable storm as he watched him squirm in Taylor's loose grip. His brow furrowed, his hands trembling as they curled and uncurled at his sides. "... I-" he began, choking off when the weight on his chest shifted, guilt, distress, fury and disgust flaring and smothering him with an overwhelming sense of grief. He sucked in a deep, trembling breath as he shook his head, his hair flicking across his eyes before he raised a hand and distractedly swiped it aside. "He's probably just lyin' to try and save his own ass…" he finally said, his breath escaping him in a rapid rush as he clapped one hand to his leg, gesturing with the other towards the wide eyed and frantically struggling teen. "How the hell did ya think it was gonna end up? Fuckin' brainless _ scum _ like this, wailin' on a guy for somethin' which has nothin' to do with 'em and don't affect 'em?!" He ranted, his expression crumpling into a vicious snarl as he slashed his arm through the air quickly. "Ya just as bad as all the rest… more, 'cause without ya big mouth, Mike would… he wouldn't…"

Taylor sighed quietly, sadness sweeping through the dark depths of his gaze, as he curled his fingers slightly, causing the boy in his grip to choke and flounder desperately. "... I can make him feel what your friend, mister Darwin feels." He offered quietly, his brows rising briefly as he tipped his head towards the other boys. "I can make them all feel it. Do to them, what they've done unto another." He said, as Jake shook his head in mute wonder, glancing away as he tried to process the offer while his jaw dropped halfway open and he tried; and failed, to find the words to reply. "Say the word, little wolf," Taylor said, watching him intently as he waited. 

"Please..!" The boy gasped, snapping Jake from his thoughts as he looked over. "Please, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The boy pleaded desperately, as Jake raked his eyes over the struggling teen dispassionately.

"... nah." Jake finally said, exhaling slowly as he watched the other boys eyes flood with relief. He glanced at Taylor as he frowned curiously, his head cocked towards him thoughtfully. "Ain't what Mike would want." He explained, shaking his head as he chuckled with reluctant resignation. "I wanted to make 'em pay, make 'em regret what they did to him… but I can't. Even beatin' the shit outta 'em, it ain't gonna-" he paused, swallowing heavily as his throat tightened dangerously. "It ain't gonna change nothin'. They won't ever change… and Mike will still be…"

"Shhhh… I know." Taylor hushed quietly, hesitating thoughtfully before slowly reaching over and dragging his fingertips over Jake's cheek, brushing aside his hair and finally cupping his jaw, forcing him to look over as he smiled warmly. "And _ that _ is a very respectable, very wise and grown up decision." He said gently, licking his lips as he leaned slightly closer. "But... I'm not so understanding, so lenient or respectable as you or your friend, I'm afraid… and I'm certainly not so forgiving." He breathed quietly, smiling briefly at Jake's confused gaze, his hand slipping free of Jake's cheek before he could cover it with his own. " _ I _ say, we make sure this sort of thing... _ can't _ happen again." He said, his hand clamping tightly around the boys throat and forcing him to still and scrabble at the clutching hand. " _ I _ say… what you can't see," he drawled, using his free hand to reach up toward the boys face. "You can't tattle on." He concluded simply, his dark eyes churning with a bright streak of red as his lips twitched into the tiniest hint of a smile.

Jake's eyes widened in shock as he watched Taylor's hand approach the boys face, the eyes wide and frantic one second, before he blinked; and they were suddenly closed, with dark tracks trailing over the checks beneath. "_ There _." Taylor said proudly, releasing the other boys throat and allowing him to crumple to the ground, turning to Jake with a bright smile as he ignored the boys distraught screaming. "I'd say that's a fitting punishment, wouldn't you?" He said, following Jake's stunned gaze and glancing down at the fumbling boy, as he dragged his hands across the dirty ground and tried to find a safe escape route. "Oh…" Taylor hummed, looking back at Jake with an expectant frown. "Did I scare you?" He asked curiously, biting his lip as he moved to hide his hands behind his back.

He tensed when Jake's hand shot out and clasped around his wrist, his clear eyes rising to Taylor's dark orbs as he slowly brought the hand up before his face to examine as best he could in the increasing darkness; to find the index and middle fingers, along with the thumb, were stained with thick, dark blood. "... uh uh." Jake drawled slowly, his eyes shifting from Taylor's fingers to his face with a sly grin. "Ya didn't think I'd scare _ that _ easy, did ya?" He asked, snickering quietly when Taylor noticeably flushed with guilty embarrassment. 

"Well… aren't _ you _ harder to shake than mono?" He asked with playful testiness, though his lopsided grin was testament to the relief he felt that Jake didn't appear to fear him. He lowered his eyes to his stained fingers, and Jake made no second move to stop him from removing them from sight. " _ Ahem _ ... " Taylor coughed awkwardly, biting his lip to hide a smile as he peeked back at Jake coyly. "So, you never did tell me how old you think I _ look _." He said quietly, raising a brow as he jabbed his clean index finger into Jake's chest. "A proper answer! None of that… flattery or flirty behaviour, mister!" He insisted, as Jake raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Alright, alright! Don't get ya panties in a bunch!" He laughed, jostling Taylor's accusatory finger away from his chest as the redhead narrowed his eyes at him and tried to hide a grin. "Though ya gotta cut me _ some _ slack here… hot blooded fifteen year old, come face to face with a ridiculously hot, guardian angel." He drawled, as Taylor covered his mouth with his clean fingers and averted his eyes while he snorted with laughter. 

"You are the _ worst _…" the redhead finally huffed, rolling his eyes in fond exasperation. "What's it gonna take to get a genuine answer out of you?" He demanded playfully, his smile faltering when Jake stepped closer and invaded his personal space.

"I reckon ya could think of somethin'." Jake murmured quietly, his clear cerulean eyes shifting from Taylor's to his fingertips, toying with the ends of the redheads hair, as they waved gently in a breeze. Heavy silence permeated the air around them, as Jake smiled and dropped his eyes back to Taylor's as the redhead flustered and swallowed thickly. "Ain't really that hard to figure out what any horny teenager'd want, when face to face with someone so pretty."

Taylor floundered for words, uncharacteristically thrown by Jake's cocky and forward behaviour. Finally he exhaled a deep breathless laugh, shaking his head as he slipped easily from Jake's intoxicating closeness, his cheeks stained heavily as he paced in a slow circle and examined Jake with thoughtful playfulness. "Well… aren't _ you _ the confident one?" He demanded, clearing his throat as Jake laced his thumbs through his belt loops and cocked his hip, winking provocatively. "Oh god, you're incorrigible." Taylor snorted, pausing to look at the ground and purse his lips, his brow crinkling in heavy thought.

"Look," Jake sighed, rolling his eyes as he turned away and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes falling to the boy who'd lost his eyes; laying quiet on the ground like the others. "Don't worry about it, 'kay? Ya ain't gotta do anythin' ya don't wanna… I was just foolin' arou-"

"Shut up, Jake." Taylor huffed quietly, rolling his eyes as he peeked up at him from beneath his lashes, drawing in a deep breath as he tipped his head back and ran his eyes over Jake in consideration. "You meant every word… it's just, despite my numerous uh," he said, glancing around the motionless bodies around them. "_ Character flaws _… kissing minors has never been one I've considered before." He said, clearing his throat as he flushed guiltily.

"Jeez, it ain't like I'm askin' ya to fuck me." Jake scoffed, rolling his eyes as Taylor choked and coughed in surprise. "Oh please, don't pretend ya shocked by that, I know ya must've heard worse." He snorted, his lips quirking with amusement as Taylor pointedly turned his head away to hide a guilty grin. He frowned, examining the redhead as he tried to recompose himself. "Why the hell's it so important how old I think ya look..?" He finally asked, clucking his tongue against his cheek curiously.

"Because I want to know!" Taylor huffed in petulant exasperation, stalking around the boys he'd knocked out and picking them up by their ankles or wrists, piling them into a tangle of limbs. "It's just… it's something I need to know. I want to know, because I happen to be very sensitive about my age. Moisturisers, remember?" He grumbled, pouting as he laid the sightless boy at the top of the pile with more gentility than he had the others. "Urgh, okay… it's not that I'm sensitive. It's just… I guess… I don't usually manage to meet any one person more than once in my life. That already makes you different… so, I want to know what _ you _ think of me." He admitted after a brief pause, reluctantly glancing back at Jake. "And… I want _ you _ to _ tell _me, becau-"

"Twenty one." Jake sighed, rolling his eyes as he shook his head and looked away, pretending not to notice the touch of warmth in his cheeks. "Ya look twenty one… and aside from the trim to ya hair, I'd say ya otherwise… _ exactly _ the same as when ya saved me the first time. Eleven years ago." He said, idly scratching his jaw as he cleared his throat. "There, ya happy now?" He huffed, looking back at Taylor and blinking in surprise when he realised he was stood next to him, his head cocked thoughtfully as he frowned. "Wha-?"

"Spot on." Taylor said quietly, a slow smile creeping onto his face and his dark eyes lighting with mischief as Jake snorted and looked down at his feet. "Quite the guess." He said, tilting his head to try and catch Jake's clear gaze, searching his cerulean orbs curiously. 

"Always been good at readin' people." Jake replied as quietly, grinning and waving his brows at Taylor's intense curiosity. "Just like I know ya ain't really so averse to kissin' me…" he added lightly, his grin growing as Taylor barked with surprised laughter and rolled his eyes. 

"Honestly, how's anyone supposed to have any secrets with the likes of _ you _ around?" Taylor demanded hotly, pouting at him from the corner of his eye. He hesitated a moment before turning his head aside, drawing in a deep breath through his nose, before glancing back at Jake. "What if I could give you something better in return for your uh, accurate guess?" He asked, his dark eyes causing Jake's breath to catch with the intensity of their gaze.

"Whaddaya mean..?" He asked slowly, his brow furrowing as Taylor swept his gaze aside and drew another deep breath; as if to steady himself. "I can't see ya bein' too eager to gimme a real fuck, considerin' ya reluctance over one little kiss-"

"Oh, hush up already and stop thinking with your d-" Taylor began waspishly, before biting his comment back and exhaling heavily. "_ Ahem, _ " he coughed, determinedly not looking at Jake's bare chest or anything lower, much to Jake's amusement. "I meant… something more _ permanent. _" He said hesitantly, biting his lip and frowning into the distance distractedly.

"Ya ain't comfortable kissin' me once, but ya happy to gimme Viagra-?" Jake began, breaking off with a rough laugh as Taylor scowled at him in open frustration. "Ah, okay fine." He snorted, snickering as he half stepped back and looked around the area, frowning as his sharp eyes detected an empty patch of ground. "Where the fuck is Tetra?" He demanded, grimacing as he spun quickly and tried to spot the brute of a boy.

"Oh, mister potty mouth? He trotted off discreetly while I was occupied with mister tattle over there." Taylor replied dismissively, lifting a hand and settling his warm palm gently but firmly over Jake's wrist, preventing him from tugging his hair in frustration. "I promise you, he's on borrowed time… but right now, so is your friend. So, I really think we should go see him now." He added quietly, his gaze sincere in its intensity, as Jake looked at him with a confused frown.

"Whaddaya..?" He began, pausing when Taylor continued to gaze at him unblinkingly. "Why? W-what the hell has Mike got to do with..?" He asked, gesturing toward the other boys and at the empty area where Tetra had fled from angrily, shaking his head and gritting his teeth when Taylor raised a brow pointedly in reply. "Besides _ that _." He said sourly, moving to turn away but unable to free himself from Taylor's soft but iron solid hold. "It's-"

"Look, I've already promised you that he won't get far, but if you rather we go after him now so you can see everything then, by all means; let's go." Taylor said, dropping his hold on Jake's arm and spreading his palms in placation. "Or," he said, pausing before looking over at Jake evenly, his dark eyes hesitant but determined. "We can go to the hospital now. Maybe give a little hint that there's been an accident and some people need some help… and say hi to mister-" he said, drawing in a sharp breath as he extended his hand slowly. "To Mike."

Jake swallowed heavily, torn between his need for vengeance and the chance to see his friend again. He lowered his eyes to the floor, his brow heavily creased as he tried to sift through the vast depths of his emotions. "Not to pressure you or anything, but… time is rather of the essence, just now." Taylor said quietly, his halo of red hair dancing gently with the breeze as Jake looked up.

"... Alright." He said thickly, half extending his hand before pausing, crouching to collect a bloodied eyeball from the ground. "Okay, let's… let's go see Mike." He said, his free hand sliding into Taylor's as the redhead wrinkled his nose.

"That's the grossest thing I've ever seen." He stated matter of factly, turning his head away from the eyeball as Jake snorted with disbelief.

"Ya just plucked this outta some kids head yaself, in the blink of an eye…" he teased, forced to follow Taylor's lead as he began to walk away, by their linked hands. "And yet, _ I'm _the gross one." He scoffed, rolling his eyes as fond warmth collected in his gut.

"Uh, _ I _ dropped it on the floor… where trash generally belongs." Taylor drawled, glancing back at Jake with a grin as he turned and walked backwards. "I mean _ urk _ …" he gagged playfully, his dark eyes brightening with amusement. "How'd you even know where it's been?" He demanded, as Jake laughed quietly and rolled his eyes. "But, more seriously, it's pretty grim… and I thought _ I _ was the only one gruesome enough to really disregard this sort of thing."

"Ya don't really know me well enough to say, one way or the other." Jake said lightly, raising a brow at Taylor as he squeezed his hand gently. "I could be some kinda ragin' psycho, desperate for bloodshed and usin' this as my trophy of a glorious battle…" he drawled, throwing Taylor a confused grin as he stopped walking and looked down at his feet, the redheads smile fading slowly. "What makes ya think ya the only one-?" 

"It's different." Taylor said firmly, an air of finality to his tone which caused Jake to frown and twist his hand free of Taylor's, hesitating before lifting his fingers to the redheads jaw. "Don't." Taylor muttered, jerking his face from the comforting touch and instead snatching the fingers back into his hand, reluctantly looking up with the first glimpse of an unfathomable, raw emotion in his dark blue eyes. "I… I'm sorry. It's just-" he paused, swallowing heavily as he peered at Jake intently, narrowing his eyes in confusion and caution. "_ I'm _ different." He said slowly, holding his breath as he waited tensely for Jake's reaction.

Jake raised a brow, examining Taylor's stiff and strangely vulnerable appearance curiously. "I know." He replied just as slowly, curling his captured fingers around Taylor's and squeezing with gentle support. He watched Taylor gaze at him another heartbeat, before his shoulders dropped abruptly, and he exhaled a long, slow breath.

"I know you do." The redhead admitted with a sigh, his expression blank as he shook his head and seemed to look right through Jake. "I just, I'm not used to that… and I'm not sure why it matters so much for you to know." He said, his expression finally clouding as he frowned at himself, before smiling and pushing the entire conversation away. "Now, let's ignore Taylor's moment of melancholy and go see your friend." He said cheerfully, gesturing to a pair of doors opposite them.

Jake blinked, startled to realise they were standing out front of the hospital. "How the fuck-" he breathed, staring at the hospital entrance before cutting his sharp eyes toward Taylor, though the redhead's dark eyes were carefully shuttered to hide his own thoughts or feelings. "_ Ahem _, nevermind. Ya right, let's go." He said briskly, leading Taylor through the entrance and into the nearby corridor, avoiding the main desk. "'S this way..." he murmured, his heart slowly beginning to pound within his chest, with every step closer to Mike which they took.

Finally Jake led them to his best friends room, his feet locking into place just outside the door. "Jake…" Taylor murmured, his hand slipping from Jake's despite his tight grip. "You don't have to come." He whispered, brushing past Jake and into the room as smoothly as if he were a mere breeze. Jake frowned, his curiosity about Taylor's intentions outweighing his hesitancy to see his friend in such condition.

"Hey!" He whispered sharply upon stepping through the door, glancing back and making sure it was closed before hurrying to the side of the bed; opposite Taylor as he bent over Mike and smeared blood across his face with quick finger motions. "Whaddaya think ya fuckin' playin' at-?!" He demanded in a harsh whisper, moving to wipe the blood away when Taylor abruptly swatted his fingers away.

"Don't touch." He said in a low, firm voice, lifting his eyes to briefly meet Jake's gaze. He watched Jake swallow thickly, biting his lip as Taylor returned his eyes to Mike. "They really did a number on you…" he murmured gently, as Jake started to realise he was talking to his prone friend. "But this guy is kind of a pet project of mine, it seems… can't seem to help but rescue his cute little tush whenever I happen across him." He said conversationally, as if he knew the unresponsive boy himself. "But, I can't stick around to keep him outta trouble, so… I'm gonna need you to do that for me, mister Darwin." He said, looking up at Jake as he wiped off his fingers on his hip and straightened.

Silence lingered as Jake stared at Taylor across the bed, his heart flooded by an overwhelming ocean of feelings which he couldn't even begin to decipher. "... I ain't gonna see ya again, am I." He said, the words scratching at his throat painfully as he forced them past his lips.

"No." Taylor replied simply, his eyes flicking to Jake's hands as he gripped the rail of the bed and lowered his head.

"Why not?" Jake asked thickly, forcing himself to look up as his clear eyes clouded with an inexpressible grief, his heart clenching with a confusing sense of betrayal. "Ya know I don't care about whatever…" he said, gesturing gruffly toward Taylor, leaving the words unspoken between them; though they both thought them anyway. "What if I want ya to stick aroun-?"

"You shouldn't." Taylor interrupted, lowering his eyes to Mike and pretending not to notice the distress which permeated the room. Both Jake's; and his own. "He might not be quite the same." He said, changing the subject as he glanced over at Jake, his heart melting at the soft gaze with which he observed his friend. "He'll have no memory of what happened… but nonetheless, he will still recall _ something _. He'll always know he's… out of place." He explained, raising a brow at Jake expectantly.

"I…" Jake balked, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked down at his friend, imagining he was just sleeping; as opposed to relying on machines to keep him breathing. "I dunno if that's really… _ my _ call to make..." he said, clearing his throat and pushing off the rail of the bed.

"_ Pfft _, I swear, if the next words out of your mouth are anything to do with 'the celestial plan' or-" Taylor scoffed, rolling his eyes and folding his arms over his chest as he leaned away from the bed.

"Nah…" Jake interrupted quickly, waving his hand dismissively as he frowned with frustration. "Nah, I just… I mean, it shouldn't be down to me, ya know?" He said, biting his lip uncertainly as he touched his fingers to the back of Mike's unresponsive hand. "Choosin' shit about my own life is one thing." He murmured, exhaling a long, slow breath as he shook his head. "Makin' choices about someone else's…"

Taylor eyed him stonily for a long pause, watching the confliction and indecision flicker across Jake's expression and through his restless movements. "You're not like other people, Jake M'Kenny…" he said quietly, blinking slowly as he sucked in a deep breath and straightened himself, lowering his arms to his sides.

"Huh? Oh…" Jake snickered softly, sniffing as he scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "It's McKenzie." He corrected, laughing quietly when Taylor frowned at him in confusion. "Hey, _ you _ try bein' four years old and sayin' all 'em syllables." He snorted, wiping beneath his eyes with the back of his hand as he flashed a cocky grin.

Taylor lowered his head to hide a grin, his shoulders shaking gently as he laughed under his breath. "I guess," he said at length, raising his head and looking over at Jake fondly. "I can forgive you… Just this once." He said, nodding slowly as his eyes drifted back to Mike. "There's not much time." He said softly, sucking on his lower lip as he moved to slowly walk around the bed, shifting Jake back a step so he could stand between him and his friend. "In this one instance... you're just going to have to decide for him. Do you think he would want to live?" He asked, turning to Jake with eyes which appeared to glow with no help from the lights. "Tick tock, Jake..."

Jake's face twisted into a conflicted grimace, his heart and his head both desperate to agree, yet screaming for him not to make such a critical decision for another. "Yeah." He finally choked, looking at Taylor with uncertainty as he gripped the bed rail tightly. "I think he would… but-"

"No time for _ but's _Jake…" Taylor said, smiling gently as he laid his hand over Mike's forehead. "You trust me?" He asked curiously, his brows rising when Jake began to nod before he'd even finished asking. "Really… very poor judgement on your part." Taylor laughed brittlely, swallowing thickly as he looked down at Mike.

Jake forced himself to gulp a deep breath, shifting his weight uneasily as he looked at his friend, before lifting his eyes to Taylor. "I don't want ya to go." He admitted, his pulse racing as Taylor snorted softly and closed his eyes. "I dunno… how or why, but ya found me twice. Right when I needed ya most. My own personal angel." He said, unable to smile when Taylor laughed quietly. "I don't want ya to go…" He repeated, shaking his head as his heart swelled with the strength of his various emotions.

"You can't keep me." Taylor said quietly, peeling his eyes open and raising his head to meet Jake's tormented cerulean gaze. "... shut your eyes." He whispered, tipping his chin toward Jake as he leaned closer, the space beneath his hand beginning to glow with a bright, white light.

"Taylor, please-" Jake pleaded weakly, reluctantly closing his eyes as the strange light increased its intensity and he mirrored Taylor's movement and leaned toward him, his lips parting and beginning to warm in anticipation. The light grew to blinding proportions, even through Jake's closed eyelids, forcing him to cover his eyes with his hand as an added precaution. "Taylor..?" He asked, as the light finally began to fade again, hesitantly lowering his hand as he opened his eyes; to find himself alone beside his best friends hospital bed. "Taylor-!" He gasped, whirling toward the door which stood open behind him and swearing with frustration, as his heart sank. "Godammit…" he cursed, about to move towards the door when movement caught his eye. Jake turned back to the bed, his eyes widening as he choked back a startled cry of both relief and distress as he saw Mike's eyes flutter weakly. He reached for his hand, marvelling that Taylor's strange bloody marks had disappeared, as he swallowed thickly. "Mike..?"

"... Grandpa…" Mike drawled sleepily, barely able to part his eyelids and glance over at him. "You look like shit… the fuck happened?" He croaked, as Jake sniffed and tried to calm himself.

"Get some sleep, and I'll tell ya all about it tomorrow, alright?" He said thickly, patting Mike's hand as he drifted back to sleep without further prompting or protest. As Jake marvelled at the wonder of having his friend back, he raised his head and looked through the open doorway, unable to quite bite back the undeniable sense of loss which he felt. "Thanks…" he murmured, his eyes stinging as he looked up at the ceiling and tried to fight back his tears, grief and joy colliding in his heart as he stood alone beside Mike's bed.


	3. The Third Time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some nice yummy angst XD
> 
> The next chapter isn't actually ready; but it is Zahra's birthday tomorrow so there will still be something go up...  
If I haven't mentioned before; I love this story.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy - would love to hear from you and know what you think <3
> 
> x My love to you all x

**Forever Young.**

The third time Jake saw  _ him _ , he was eighteen. He was digging clothes from his dresser, rapidly stuffing them into a large duffel bag, when he heard his bedroom door open and he froze. "... I'm allowed to pack, ain't I?" He finally asked, wincing when his split lip stung and quickly licking the afflicted area. "Don't worry, I ain't interested in anythi-"

"Jake… why d'ya have to go..?" A small voice asked, and Jake released a heavy sigh of regret as he slowly turned around. "Oh! Jake, wha-!" 

"Hey now, don't be worryin'..." he said warmly, smiling despite the pain it caused his lip. "It's just a little cut lip and a few bruises, ain't worth cryin' over, Rebecca." He said soothingly, crouching down and sweeping his younger sister into a smothering hug. He tucked his chin over her shoulder and held on tightly, his face twisting with grief while safely out of her sight. He forced himself to smile brightly before he pulled back a long pause later, gesturing to the black eye and swollen cheek. "Don't even hurt, see?" He lied easily, winking with his good eye as he stood straight. "I uh, I just gotta go away for a bit… there's this place," he said, pausing to suck in a sharp, deep breath as he forced his smile to soften. "It's a bit like a special school, yeah? Gonna learn me how to  _ fly!  _ But I'll come see ya again, once I have the chance, 'kay?" He added, turning his back on the younger girl and pretending her long red hair didn't remind him of similar hair he'd seen as a child. "Now, uh… you oughta go see mom." He said, half turning as if to peek back over his shoulder, though he couldn't raise his eyes from the floor. "Ya be good, do as she says right, Becky Boo?"

"Don't call me that!" Rebecca scolded hotly, scowling at her brother as she walloped his elbow. "That's a baby name!" She pouted, as Jake laughed affectionately and turned fully to ruffle her hair. 

"Well, as your big brother, it's my job to baby ya and embarrass ya as much as possible." He snickered, as Rebecca grit her teeth and growled at him. "But if ya don't want me to just call ya Becky Boo, I suppose I could…" he drawled, raising his hands and wiggling in a teasing threat. 

" _ Ah _ !" Rebecca squawked, scurrying quickly from the room to avoid being tickled. Jake dropped his hands to his sides and watched her go, his grin fading as he slowly lowered his eyes to the floor.

"Heh, brat…" he huffed, shaking his head fondly as he turned and strode to his dresser, yanking open another drawer and pulling out the clothes within, moving back to the bed and shoving them into his bag quickly. He paused at the quiet footsteps behind him, snickering softly as he bounced a t-shirt in his hand for a moment. "Changed ya mind 'bout that ticklin', huh?" He asked, tossing the t-shirt onto his open bag and turning quickly. "Well, I-" he froze in place, his hand half extended to where he thought his sister would be; to instead find his hand hovering before a man's crotch. "Holy fuck…" he breathed, his eyes wide as he stared at a familiar face in awe.

"Hmm, not really so holy, to be honest… but you've always been particularly sweet about that." Taylor said, scratching his ear as he ducked his head slightly. "If it's all the same to you, I think I'll pass on the tickling… I'm  _ very _ ticklish and I wouldn't want to accidentally hurt you." He said, his dark eyes scrutinising Jake's face intently as he brushed past him. "It looks like you've already had plenty enough of a clouting." He said breezily, plucking at a loose thread in the curtain beside the window, glancing back over his shoulder curiously. "Your 'sparkling personality' at work again?"

"Uh," Jake coughed, shaking his head and closing his half open mouth abruptly, blinking rapidly as he turned towards his dresser. "Guess ya could call it that." He said distantly, his hands hovering over a drawer after pulling it open. "My uh, my folks found out I ain't quite the perfect little hetero son they expected. Pop decided he couldn't forgive it… couldn't forgive me." He said tensely, drawing in a deep breath as they stood in awkward silence for a brief moment, before he slammed the dresser drawer shut. "He uh, he  _ politely asked _ that I take my sick perversion and get the fuck outta his house." He scoffed, dumping his armful of clothes onto his duffel bag and attempting to squash them all in with quick, angry shoves.

"Not everyone can accept that these things are nobodies choice." Taylor said quietly, peering out the window with his hands clasped behind his back. "For what little it's likely worth," he said, turning slowly and lifting his eyes to meet Jake's clear gaze. "He's a fool." He said softly, his dark eyes holding Jake's a heartbeat longer before he returned his eyes to the window.

Jake snorted, his cheeks flaming with heat as he escaped Taylor's gaze, shoving at the blockage of clothes on his bag as embarrassment ate at his gut. "Thanks, I'll remember to tell folk that when they ask why my folks hate my guts." He said bitterly, growling with frustration when his things refused to be pushed into his bag. He pushed the bag away, scowling as he ran his hands through his hair irritably as he peeked over at Taylor's back. "Thought ya said I wouldn't see ya again…" he finally snarked, flicking his eyes over the redhead uncertainly, noticing his hair had grown out as far as his shoulders again.

Taylor hummed noncommittally and Jake rolled his eyes, telling himself he wasn't disappointed by the lack of response as he pulled his bag back to him and grabbed a pile of clothes; dumping them beside the bag and beginning to shove them in individually. "My parents tried to burn me at the stake, for my  _ preferences _ ." Jake paused at the words, staring down at the t-shirt in his hand blankly as it hovered above the opening of his bag. "Well, I say  _ try _ … they  _ did _ . Hurt like a bitch." Taylor continued distractedly, chuckling tiredly as he stared out the window. "Worse than, actually… I'd say it was the betrayal of doing that to their own child that hurt the most, but it really wasn't. The fire outweighed everything."

Jake slowly eased his t-shirt into his bag, swallowing heavily in the thick silence which weighed down the air between them. He tugged several of his tops and trousers from the pile, slowly packing them as his thoughts raced numbly through his head. "So then," he coughed, finally finding his voice again. "How-"

"Wow… that was especially maudlin and depressing, wasn't it? Even for me..." Taylor huffed loudly, drowning out Jake's curiosity and shaking his head as if waking from a daydream, turning to eye Jake apologetically. "I'm sure you have better things to do than listen to me dredge up old fairy tales." He said, waving his hand dismissively before his face.

"Oh yeah, 'cause my packin' is so goddamn interestin'." Jake scoffed, rolling his eyes as he toyed with a t-shirt hem between his fingers. He finally looked over at Taylor, frowning as he watched the redhead examine his various knick knacks and trophies on his shelves. "Why the hell're ya here? Ya said-"

"I say a lot of things," Taylor interrupted dismissively, eyeing some of the photos on Jake's wall. "And it's true that you really  _ weren _ ' _ t _ supposed to see me again…" he said, pausing and staring vacantly at the wall, his shoulders tensing as Jake frowned and stepped closer. "But hell, I was in town… thought I would see how my favourite rescuee was doing." He said, clearing his throat as Jake's sharp eyes ran over him in confusion.

"Right." Jake said, his tongue in his cheek as he nodded distractedly. "Of course… ain't like ya actually care or anythin'. That's why ya disappeared like that in the hospital, right?" He said, turning abruptly and stomping back to his bag, thrusting shirts in quickly and moving to a chest of drawers to collect some other clothes. "Just  _ poof _ and that's it, right? Outta sight, outta mind… never mind how fuckin' bad I wanted ya to stick arou-"

"If I didn't care, I wouldn't have saved you." Taylor said quietly, his eyes still on the wall as his tense shoulders finally eased and slumped forward. "But I don't stay in any one place. A few nights, nothing more." He explained, finally turning to meet Jake's frustrated gaze with a melancholy shake of his head. "That's not something I can change, even if I did want to… and as for why I left so abruptly, well," he said, averting his eyes as he bit his cheek briefly, seeming torn as to how to word his answer. "I felt it prudent to remove myself from a situation." He finally said, clearing his throat as he looked back over at Jake's stunned expression. "Well, I mean it must have gotten rather hectic in there after that, what with the attention your friend most likely needed." He said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck guiltily. "How is mister Darwin?" He added curiously, stilling and raising a brow when Jake immediately dropped his clear eyes to the floor and turned around.

Jake ignored the burning gaze at his back, roughly shoving things at the opening of his bag as he grit his teeth and bit back the surge of frustrated tears which stung his eyes. "He's _fine_." He said tightly, his hands slowing as his gaze turned distant. "... he's just, a little out of sorts still." He reluctantly admitted, glancing over his shoulder to catch Taylor looking away guiltily.

"I warned you he would be." He said quietly, walking across the room and examining a model of Notré Dame which Jake had built as a young teen, before Mike's 'accident'. "Knowing you're alive; and that you shouldn't be, causes a lot of conflict within yourself… it's not usually something people can manage to work through."

"Then why the hell'd ya do it?!" Jake demanded heatedly, glaring at Taylor accusingly as he looked over and met his irate gaze calmly. Jake's breath quickened, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he turned and shoved as many of his t-shirts into his bag as he could without clogging it again. "He outed me." He said abruptly, swallowing thickly as he gripped a pair of jeans tightly and stuffed them into his bag. "Laughin' about how we're best friends and both love a good lookin' guy to fuck." He said bitterly, shaking his head as he grit his teeth and allowed his hand to fall to his side. "Next second he's chatterin' about some new fuckin' recipe he's tryin' to make… like he didn't just dump a can of worms in everyone's faces."

"What happened?" Taylor asked curiously, nodding in vague embarrassment when Jake rolled his head toward him and threw him a blank, exasperated glare; gesturing jerkily to the swollen side of his face. "Ah." He said, clearing his throat as he fidgeted with one of his jeans belt loops awkwardly. "Well uh, at least it hasn't affected your rugged good looks?" He offered, his lips twitching when Jake snorted with amusement.

"Oh yeah, the black and blue and swollen to hell special." He scoffed, shaking his head as he returned to his packing, gathering a photo and an ornamental angel from his dresser before returning to his bag. "Excuse me while I go fight off the hordes and…" Jake trailed off slowly, his throat tightening as he felt Taylor step closer. "What're ya-?" He began, his pulse quickening as he felt Taylor's fingers ghost quickly across his face, the redheads chest held rigidly, a careful distance behind him.

"Shh…" Taylor hushed soothingly, his palm laying over Jake's swollen cheek and bruised eye as gentle light began to emanate from beneath his hand. Jake held his breath, closing his eyes and standing still as his cheek and eye first stung and then tingled. "This I can do." He murmured, his breath tickling Jake's ear and causing him to shiver. Seconds ticked by like hours as Jake's face steadily warmed, his pulse racing ever faster as his heart seemed to swell and soar into his throat. "There." Taylor said brightly, removing his hand as the light faded. "Now you can stop pouting about having lost your good looks." 

Jake opened his eyes slowly, his fingers rising to his cheek as he released the breath he'd held in a rush. He swallowed thickly, glancing over at the mirror above his dresser and blinking at his reflection; the damage to his face gone, just as Mike's had years before. "Nifty trick." He said, lowering his hand and turning to face Taylor, a frown forming when he saw he was on the opposite side of the room. "Why-"

"I can't do anything more for mister Darwin." Taylor interrupted, fingering a small plane hanging from Jake's ceiling. "Consider that an expression of my um… apologies?" He huffed, flashing a brief, falsely bright smile over his shoulder.

"Well… thanks, I guess." Jake said, nodding as he ran his tongue over his split lip and turned back to finish packing his bag. His hand hovered by the bag lip, as he licked his lips and ran his free hand through his hair. "Why?" He demanded, turning and spreading his arms before quickly dropping them to his sides. "Why the hell d'ya help? Why d'ya  _ keep _ helpin'?" He demanded, ignoring Taylor's shuttered expression as he turned back to the small plane. "What the hell d'ya get outta helpin' some… fucked up, loser dumbass like me?" He demanded, as Taylor pointedly ignored him and moved further away to examine Jake's old school certificates on the wall. "Ya could be makin' a difference! Fightin' for ya country-!"

"You presume this is my country to fight for." Taylor bit out tightly, avoiding Jake's eyes as he blinked in surprise, momentarily stunned quiet by Taylor's sharp reply. "And you also presume I haven't  _ already _ fought for it." He added waspishly, turning to face Jake with an unfamiliar coolness in his dark eyes. "You know what came of it?" He asked bitterly, sneering down his nose in distaste. "A whole lot of blood and death… and none of it mine." 

"But ya could help people!  _ Save _ people!" Jake argued, gesturing to his cheek as Taylor averted his eyes and stared at the wall darkly.

"No, I couldn't." He said, narrowing his eyes as Jake blinked and frowned, leaning back against the side of his dresser. "I shouldn't have done it for your friend… I _definitely_ can't for others." Taylor said quietly, shaking his head and looking at the ceiling briefly, before returning his hard gaze to Jake. "I can't afford the attention." 

"Ya won't help save lives… to save yaself?" Jake asked, his brow furrowing in confusion as he shook his head and gazed at Taylor uncertainly. "Then why the bloody hell did ya help _me_?!" He demanded, gesturing roughly at his face as Taylor pointedly bit his tongue to refuse answering, glaring across the room at him. "Why the bloody hell'd ya help Mike?! What's the fuckin' point, if ya so fuckin' scared for ya own-"

"Because you're different!" Taylor hissed, immediately scowling and gritting his teeth, jerking his head aside as he tore his eyes from Jake's shocked expression. "Because in  _ all _ my years," Taylor said bitterly, purposely avoiding giving Jake a specific time frame. "You're the first, the _ only _ person I've met… who hasn't been afraid." The redhead finally sighed, his irritated scowl melting away as he glanced back at Jake before darting his eyes away again. "Even as a kid, you were fearless. You had no doubt I wouldn't hurt you. You thought I was_ good_, kind. You thought…" he said, trailing off as he swallowed thickly and folded his arms over his chest as if to protect himself from the cold or from some form of attack. 

"I thought ya were a pretty angel." Jake said gently, nodding his head as he remembered for himself and took a tentative step closer to the redhead. "Ya were… ya  _ are _ ." He insisted, extending his hand towards Taylor as the redhead rolled his head towards him, his dark eyes conflicted and burdened by longing. "Come with us… we can protect people, save people, win entire wars; just us three, on our ow-"

"What?" Taylor interrupted, frowning as his eyes slowly shuttered with realisation, his face darkening with grief, betrayal and fury as he scoffed and looked away. "I see… mister McKenzie and mister Darwin; the newly enrolled heroes of the new world." He said scathingly, ignoring Jake's offered hand as he brushed past him.

"Well, it ain't like I got a lotta options on where the hell to go right now, considerin' my folks want me outta here as soon as physically possible." Jake shot back, grimacing as he watched Taylor pace back and forth beside him. "So why the hell shouldn't I sign up? Why not give somethin' back and get a roof over my head in the proces-?"

"Because the only thing they want you to give is your life!" Taylor snarled, his agitation clear from the rapid twitch of his fingers and wrist against his side. He whirled on Jake, his presence seeming to loom over him in the suddenly too small room, though Jake refused to show any fear over Taylor's apparent fury. "They'll take everything that makes you,  _ you _ … and they'll destroy it.  _ Then _ , they'll destroy  _ you _ . It's what they do." He said bitterly, shaking his head as he lowered his eyes to the floor and turned his back, moving to the window and leaning his hand against the pane of glass gently. "I didn't save your life, or your _ friends _ life… just to see you throw it away." He said quietly, the sound of his heavy swallow loud in the otherwise now silent room.

"Well… don't look then." Jake said thickly, clearing his throat as he turned and gazed around his room dazedly. "Sorry to disappoint ya and all..." he said breathlessly, licking his lips as he zipped up his bag. He half lifted it from the bed, before throwing it back down, scrubbing his hand over his jaw as he turned towards Taylor and scowled at his back. "Ya still owe me a damn kiss." He demanded, folding his arms over his chest adamantly as Taylor choked with laughter.

"I don't  _ owe _ you a goddamn thing." He finally gasped, turning with an incredulous expression which Jake raised his chin at defiantly. "I saved your life,  _ twice _ …" he drawled, his brow creasing as he slowly approached Jake, who stubbornly held his ground. "I saved  _ your friends _ life, for  _ you _ ." He said, narrowing his eyes at Jake's determinedly locked posture.

"I never  _ asked _ ya to." Jake replied hotly, as Taylor's brows rose in surprise at his defiant scowl. "I played ya dumb game when ya asked me to and I named my damn prize for it…  _ you _ chose to save Mike instead." He said firmly, his fingers clenching in against his own arms as Taylor grit his teeth and peered at him intently. "There in the hospital... right before ya bolted. Ya were gonna kiss me." He said knowingly, as Taylor scoffed and whirled away from him.

" _ Yes _ ; and then I  _ didn't _ ! Because I remembered you were still a  _ child _ ... just like you are  _ now _ apparently." He sneered, eyeing Jake dispassionately as he moved to push past him, only for Jake to deliberately block his path. "You're in my way." He bit out, cocking his head and leaning closer as his eyes glittered malevolently. "That's  _ not _ a good place to be…"

"So make me move." Jake challenged, meeting Taylor's furious scowl with a determined glare of his own. "We both know ya can pick me up and toss me outta ya way like a goddamn rag doll… so if ya wanna get by me so damn bad, ya got two choices. Ya gimme what ya owe me, or ya force ya way out." He said confidently, pretending his heart wasn't practically leaping out of his chest.

"You're playing a _dangerous_ game, little wolf." Taylor warned, narrowing his eyes as he shook his head. "What the hell makes you so sure I won't do just that, you arrogant littl-"

Jake's eyes slid closed, holding his breath as he rocked forward abruptly and slammed his mouth to Taylor's, cutting off his reply and drawing a hum of surprise from his throat instead. Without allowing the redhead to recover, Jake wrapped his arms tightly around his shoulders, tugging him closer as his mouth opened and his tongue pressed against the seam of Taylor's lips urgently. His fingers drifted beneath the curtain of Taylor's hair, tickling the back of his neck gently as he felt the redhead tense, tightening his hold in preparation of being shoved away; only to be surprised himself, when Taylor's lips parted for him.

Jake sucked in a heavy breath through his nose, his tongue delving forward eagerly, though it was quickly forced to retreat by a collision with Taylor's. He moaned softly at the redhead's apparent hunger, his kiss everything Jake had anticipated it would be and more. Demanding, forceful and breathtaking; all at once. He felt Taylor's hands curl around his waist, sliding up to his shoulders and caressing his back restlessly as Jake attempted to press every inch of himself to the redhead. His fingers curled into Taylor's hair, pulling as the soft strands as his teeth grazed the redhead's lips in his rising urgency. His every thought besides his need for more disappeared, his heart hammering in his chest as his lips parted against Taylor's repeatedly; hunger, desire and passion building and driving Jake to tug desperately at Taylor's hair.

"Ah!" Jake winced, his hand rising to his lip as Taylor abruptly pulled away and stumbled to the back of the room, Jake blinking in surprise at the glow of his bright red eyes; before Taylor whirled around to brace himself against the wall by his palms. "Shit…" Jake murmured, panting quietly and dropping his eyes to his hand to see blood staining his fingertips. "Forgot pop busted my lip pretty good." He muttered, wiping his hand on his jeans as he looked over at Taylor's stiff posture. "What's the matte-?" he began, frowning as he stepped toward Taylor.

" _ Don't _ ." Taylor's fierce tone brought Jake to a halt, his brows furrowing at the unfamiliar, harsh venom in the other man's voice. "Fuck… I never should've come here." He muttered, as Jake froze, his hand curling in on itself as he snapped his jaw closed and exhaled heavily. 

"Then why the hell  _ did _ ya?" Jake demanded, his teeth clenching as he stepped back slowly. "Why bother, if it's such a goddamn  _ hardship _ for ya?" He asked, shaking his head as he swallowed heavily and backed away to the bed, an irrepressible sense of loss and betrayal swirling through his chest as he rolled his eyes to the ceiling, biting his tongue against the sting in his eyes. 

" _ Because _ !" Taylor growled, his fingers digging into the wall with a slow, soft crunch. "I-" he choked, gasping as he hung his head and trembled against the wall.

Jake looked back over, his jaw cocked and his tongue in his cheek as he waited; hoping Taylor would say something,  _ anything _ more. He felt disappointment run rampant through his heart, when the redhead only continued to lean against the wall, his chest and shoulders heaving; shuddering with the obvious effort to restrain himself. Finally he clicked his tongue, shaking his head as he stepped back and grabbed his bag from the bed. "Ya know what? Don't strain yaself, 'kay?" He said, tipping his chin toward Taylor as he backed away, scrubbing his hand over his jaw and sniffing as he hesitated in the doorway. "Thanks for the face lift." He said bitterly, knocking his fist against the door frame as his lips twisted into a pained grimace briefly, before he coughed and swung his bag over his shoulder. "... take care of yaself." He murmured, turning and walking away, leaving Taylor in his room as he left his family home without another backward glance.


	4. The Fourth Time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thiiiiis is as far as I have gotten so far... I'm hoping it's as good as I imagine because I have literally LOVED every second I have spent writing it.  
I have another chapter to go - but for now I am gonna be taking a break from it (which breaks my heart) to belatedly start Raj's birthday fic (which I also love) so... wish me luck I guess
> 
> Thankyou to everyone who has read and commented so far - you've literally made me keep living and lit my passion again <3  
So, let me know your thoughts please - I LOVE THIS STORY I NEED FEEDBACK FOR IT  
Seriously, I'm crying rn. I love it.  
Thankyou all so much for reading <3
> 
> x My love to you all x

**Forever Young.**

The fourth time Jake met  _ him _ , he was twenty one. His breathing was laboured, his body aching, desperate to let go as his vision blurred and darkness began to consume him; when a fiery haloed angel swam into view before him, eyes wide and panicked, as they glowed an intense and vibrant scarlet. Jake felt no fear, despite the obvious and frantic concern in the redheads eyes. He tried to speak, to say he wasn't afraid of the angel; but the words clawed at his throat and caused him to groan weakly, his breath catching as his chest hitched upward. His eyelids fluttered, and he whimpered in protest, not wanting to lose sight of the angel. With considerable will and determination, he forced his eyes to open, his lips half twisting into a grimace as he hissed at the eruption of pain throughout his entire body; as the angel hurried to pick up and toss away the various debris piled upon him.

He watched the redheads mouth move, distantly aware they were speaking but unable to decipher their words from the haze of static, ringing in his ears. He wanted to soothe the fear from the angels crimson gaze, but his arms wouldn't respond, his fingers curled uselessly into his palm. His lips parted, but instead of the words he yearned to speak, he could only choke and cough weakly.

His eyelids fluttered, slowly drifting closed despite his every attempt to prevent them. He watched through further blurring vision as the red orbs above him narrowed, his eyes finally slipping closed as he felt lips brush against his ear. "If you  _ dare _ try and die on me, I  _ will _ make you regret it.  _ Severely _ ." A voice whispered, as Jake felt a rush of affection and warmth sweep through him; before everything disappeared into the darkness.

When Jake next felt wakefulness creeping into him, he found his body still heavy, weary and unresponsive to his desires at first, though with persistence he found he  _ could _ at least manage to move. He inhaled deeply, groaning at the immediate prickling which he felt across every inch of himself. His head ached and itched, along with his entire right side, the skin feeling irritated and far too warm. He flexed the fingers on his left hand, his brow furrowing with the effort he had to extend for such a simple movement. He concentrated as best he could, ignoring the pounding of his head as he tried to tell his eyes to open; and instead found himself trapped in the darkness.

He lifted his hand slowly, a muffled groan of panic escaping him when he found his limbs heavy and hard to maneuver, before finally fumbling at his face and discovering several thick swatches of material wrapped carefully around one side of his head. "Would you please stop fidgeting?" An exasperated voice demanded, as Jake struggled to lift the bandage from his face. " _ Stop it _ ." The voice hissed, a warm hand settling over his fingers and drawing them gently from his face. "You'll undo all my hard work… it's taken me bloody forever to get your vitals to stabilize."

"... wh-?" Jake barely managed to croak, before he gasped and began to pant for breath, his throat burning as his fingers clutched at the hand holding his own.

"Don't try to talk just yet… I need you to just listen for a bit first, okay?" The voice said soothingly, the warm and gentle hands squeezing his fingers carefully. "Do you think you can manage a nod or two, when prompted?" They asked hesitantly, followed by the rustling of fabric moving; a small weight settling beside Jake's hot and itchy right side.

Jake felt his pulse soar, belatedly noticing the frantic beeping of machinery and realising with a sudden burst of certainty; he was in a hospital. He tried to frown, the itchy material over his head driving him mad with frustration as he barely managed to tip his head back and forth loosely.

"Ah, good… that's-" the voice breathed, the profound relief clear in their tone. "That's good." They said thickly, their fingers squeezing Jake's before abruptly disappearing. "Sorry." They said, clearing their throat as Jake sucked in a shaky breath and tried to calm his nerves. "Okay, we need to be quick… I'm sure you want nothing more than to go back to sleep right now, and it will certainly do you good to, now you're out of the woods…" the voice said, a soft snort following their words as amusement bled into their tone. "So to speak." They added with a snicker, as Jake sighed and grunted to show his frustration. "Sorry... uh, well you see, by the time I got to you; you were pretty… screwed, basically." The voice explained, as Jake held his breath and tried to remember whatever the voice could be talking about. "I wasn't sure if I'd get to you in time." The voice added quietly, a thick sense of guilt and grief permeating the room as Jake's heart ached, his fingers twitching toward the small weight beside him to find hands clasped tightly together; as if in prayer.

"I'll spare you the details… suffice to say, that I had to stabilize your vital signs, before I could do anything, uh…  _ more _ ." The voice explained, as Jake half turned his head towards the sound, his fingers curling into the sheets beneath him as his chest ached. "Now that you're stable… mostly," they coughed, their hand covering Jake's gently to stop its restless clutching. "I need you to make a choice. Are you with me so far, little wolf?" 

Jake's throat tightened, a choked sound escaping him as he fumbled, trying to twist his hand around and curl his fingers tightly around the speakers hand. "T-ay..." he gasped lowly, his breath quickening as the voice chuckled dryly.

"I just got your vitals stable, would you please try not to upset them again already? This is important." Taylor scolded gently, his fingers squeezing Jake's back carefully. "I'll explain everything else later… for right now, I need you to focus just a little longer, okay?" He asked, as Jake made a concentrated effort to nod his head again slowly. "Okay, so, to be brutal; you're in pretty bad fucking shape… and because it's so extensive and  _ everywhere _ , I can only heal one thing at a time." He said, cupping both hands over Jake's and exhaling heavily. "I can heal your internal injuries. It'll make it easier to breathe and for you to talk.. which now I think about it might not be so great for me actually, having to listen to all your complaining." He chuckled as Jake huffed weakly, hesitating before clearing his throat and continuing. "But... any broken bones will remain, so you won't be able to go anywhere." He said, clucking his tongue as Jake gave an awkward nod to show he understood. "We'll call that option A, for now. So, option B… is that I heal your broken bones and various external injuries. That means you won't have to have all the bandages you've been fussing at… but you'll still have to stay in bed because your lungs and everything internal will still be damaged." Jake groaned quietly, half rolling his head away from Taylor, only to bed stopped by the redheads hand against his unbandaged cheek. "Or, option C… I heal your eyes."

Jake choked on his next breath, rolling his head on the pillow as he tried to lift his hands to his face; though Taylor snatched them from the air and held them carefully over his chest. "Please..." Taylor pleaded softly, his voice heavy with a guilt and grief which made Jake's weak struggles ease, his face rolling toward the redhead as he tipped his chin forward curiously. "I tried, Jake… I tried! But with your life so endangered, it just wasn't possible at the time. There's rules to  _ everything _ . I  _ had _ to wait, I'm so sorry." He breathed, sniffing quietly as Jake tried to frown and barely managed a curious grimace beneath what he now realised was a bandage. "I know you think I'm… something better, and I can do anything." He said, pausing for an extended heartbeat as a thick sense of self loathing swept through the room. "But I can only do so much at once…" Taylor bit out thickly, sniffing and drawing in a deep breath. "So I need you to choose what's most important to you right now."

Jake inhaled slowly, his heart racing in his ears as he rolled his head on the pillow gently. Finally, he swallowed painfully and opened his mouth, emitting only a rasping grunt at first, until he forced a single sound past his lips. "... S-see…" he croaked, as Taylor laughed softly.

"I should've known." Taylor scoffed, his fingers laying Jake's hands gently on his chest, before rising to begin carefully removing the bandage over Jake's eyes. "Never one to make things easy for yourself." He muttered, as his fingertips gently closed Jake's eyes; which he hadn't known were open from the endless darkness he'd been in. His heart began to sink, before hesitating; lingering with hope as he felt Taylor's fingers gently trail over his eyelids, before his hand laid flat over both eyes and the bridge of his nose. "... let there be light." Taylor whispered with a hint of amusement, as Jake sucked in a deep breath and held it.

Jake waited expectantly, his pulse racing loudly in his ears as he desperately hoped for something to happen. But the longer he remained in the dark, the more his heart sank. He swallowed thickly, ignoring the pain of the motion as he clasped his own hands together so tightly that his nails almost broke the skin. He clung desperately to his last thread of hope, certain of Taylor's ability to save him. It was another heartbeat later, that Jake saw the first pinprick of white amid the darkness. His heart soared, his jaw dropping as a relieved hiss of air rushed to escape him, along with an odd choking sound which he immediately swore to deny all knowledge of.

"Shh…" Taylor murmured, his tone soft and amused as his free hand settled over Jake's and squeezed lightly. "Stop being so dramatic… honestly. Act your damn age." He snickered fondly, distracting Jake from the light which blazed and burned away the darkness.

Jake groaned tiredly, shifting awkwardly as he twisted a hand free from beneath Taylor's, lifting it to his eyes and fumbling at the hand which covered them. His chest hitched, pursing his lips together as he sucked in rapid, deep breaths and slowly dragged the warm palm aside. He licked his lips as his eyelids twitched, fluttering weakly as he tried to peel them open. Taylor huffed quietly, as Jake winced at the bright light which overtook his vision. He blinked slowly, a soft gasp escaping him as his brows rose, colours blurring and blending together amid the light. "Heh…" he coughed, his lip twitching briefly before he swallowed heavily. His vision clouded, a fiery halo flaming through the white haze as dark blue orbs peered down at him warmly. "... ang-el…" he croaked, his lip twitching as Taylor laughed quietly.

"Stubborn as ever." The redhead sighed, brushing his hair behind his ear as Jake's eyes grew heavy, despite his frustrated attempts to keep them open. "Sleep, little wolf…" he murmured, grinning lopsidedly as Jake hummed a vague complaint and his brow furrowed in obvious concern. "Oh, stop it." He scoffed, shaking his head as Jake's vision blurred further, fighting the heavy droop of his eyelids. "I'll still be here when you wake up." He promised quietly. Jake protested incoherently, grumbling as he fought the urge to sleep; and ultimately failed, his last awareness tuned onto the warm hand which lingered over his own, as he sank once more into the darkness.

Jake was unaware of how much time passed, his sleep often restless and haunted by something which lingered just outside of his memory. Nevertheless, when next he opened his eyes, he was disheartened to find himself alone. He blinked dazedly, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the light as he inhaled a slow, deep breath. He frowned, attempting to focus his gaze onto his hand as he turned it slowly, marvelling at the flawless skin and realising abruptly that it was actually responding to his slightest thought. His breath caught, his eyes widening as he braced both hands and prepared to lift himself from the bed.

"Don't even  _ think _ about it." Taylor's amused voice caused Jake to pause, squinting around the room as he searched for the redhead. He licked his lips as he caught sight of him beside the window, leaning against the wall just on the far side with his arms folded across his chest and smirking over at the bed knowingly. "I've done what I can while you were in and out, but it's not exactly my best work." He said, pushing off from the wall and walking over slowly, his gaze flickering with uncertainty briefly as he hovered, before he sank into a chair beside the bed and leaned forward on his elbows. "Welcome back to the land of the living… you've really been keeping me on my toes, ya know?" He said, scratching his ear as he smiled playfully.

Jake shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, shifting his weight on the bed as he laid down dutifully, his clear eyes flicking over Taylor curiously. His hair was shorter, barely flicking out over his ears while the rest of him remained as it had ever been, although his eyes held a touch of weariness that Jake didn't remember seeing before. "... T-tired." He said, grimacing at the ache in his throat and pouting at Taylor reproachfully when he chuckled quietly.

"I told you it wasn't my best." He said, though he seemed relieved to have heard Jake speak nonetheless. "I may have tried to push the process before I was really ready…" he explained apologetically, spreading his hands as he leaned on his elbows, before resting his chin in his palm. "But if you're tired, sleep. There's no rush… you'll be safe here, for as long as you need."

"Nuh-" Jake frowned, swallowing thickly as he closed his eyes briefly and gathering his determination, before looking back at Taylor and gesturing at the faint signs of weariness around his eyes. "Y- _ you _ …" he croaked, rolling his head on the pillow and scowling at the ceiling in frustration. He blew a deep breath over his face, glancing back at Taylor and raising a brow at him curiously.

"Oh." Taylor blinked, clearing his throat as his fingers moved to hide the smile which twitched at his lips with realisation. "Uh, well yes, I guess. This isn't exactly an effortless process, you know?" He said teasingly, waving his brows as he fought to keep the laughter from his tone. "Besides, I'm not exactly as young as I used to be, you know?" He snickered playfully, scratching his cheek just beneath his eye.

Jake huffed and rolled his eyes, his lips curved into a small grin as he tipped his head toward Taylor. "T-twenty… one." He said slowly, licking his lips and grimacing at the dryness of his throat.

"Heh," Taylor huffed, grinning lopsidedly as he nodded slowly. "Spot on." He snickered, shaking his head in fond nostalgia.

Jake tapped his fingers to his chest, smirking as he blinked slowly. "Ca-caught... ya." He coughed, though he laughed even despite his aching throat; pleased to hear Taylor bark with laughter himself. He rolled his head on the pillow, his hand rising to rub at his throat gently.

"Well, is that so? Took you long enough, little wolf." Taylor teased, eyeing him with a small frown, before he rose from his chair and helped Jake half sit and half lay back against the headboard, before he picked up a glass of water from a small bedside table, perching on the bed beside Jake and tilting the glass for him to drink. "Quite the nifty little milestone, isn't it?" He asked with feigned innocence, as Jake grimaced but gratefully drank to ease his aching throat. 

"Thanks…" he rasped as Taylor withdrew the glass, watching as he set it back on the side and quickly rose from his perch and walked around the back of his chair. Jake felt the tension rise, sensing the remnants of their last parting; the hostility and the regret he'd felt at the time returning with a fierce pang, the longer the silence lingered between them. "So, er…" he coughed, sucking in a deep breath as he hesitated. "Not to ruin this whole… whatever this is, but… I was kinda under the impression ya didn't wanna see me again." He said slowly, plucking at the covers over his legs idly as he took his time and made a conserved effort to speak clearly, purposely avoiding Taylor's gaze as the redhead drew in a deep breath, half turning away before rolling his head back to Jake.

"I admit… when you walked out that door, I swore it was the last time I was going to see you." Taylor confessed quietly, pressing his fingertips to his pursed lips as he considered Jake and swallowed heavily, shaking his head as his lip finally twitched. "Seems like nobody has quite the talent for pissing me off as you do. But, then again… I've not really given them a chance before." He said, rolling his jaw uncertainly and turning his head aside as he worried a nail.

Jake nodded, his eyes turning to the ceiling as he considered the confession and all the things Taylor chose not to say. "So then, why give  _ me _ a chance?" He wondered aloud, rolling his head to face Taylor as his clear eyes flicked over the redhead curiously. "Why save me? Or help Mike?" He asked quietly, ignoring the tick in Taylor's cheek as he bit his lip, before asking the question which had burnt itself into his head over the past three years. "Why'd ya come find me, when my folks tossed-"

"It's complicated." Taylor interrupted lowly, his dark eyes flickering with uncertainty and confliction as he paced behind his chair, gesticulating vaguely with one hand, while the other folded over his chest protectively. "I don't see why I should have to explain myself… I don't answer to anyo-"

"Ain't askin' ya to." Jake interrupted, fidgeting slightly to make himself more comfortable as he watched Taylor grimace and continue to pace, so to avoid Jake's piercing cerulean gaze. "But I've met ya a handful of times in my life... and I get the feelin' that's pretty unusual for ya, considerin' how surprised ya were when ya first realised I was the same squirt ya first saved so long before that." He explained, narrowing his eyes as he contemplated for a long heartbeat. "Ya had to have guessed that I'd wanna know about ya. And, seein' as ya look like ya won't be disappearin' on me this time..." he added leadingly, raising a brow a s trailing off in hopeful expectation.

Taylor avoided Jake's intense gaze for several heartbeats, before his pacing finally came to a halt, though his leg instead began to bounc in guilty agitation. "The first time we met," he finally sighed, grimacing as if about to confess a dirty secret. "I… was actually sleeping off a  _ killer _ hangover." He admitted quickly, biting his lip and peeking over, as his cheeks darkened with embarrassment.

Jake fought to keep a straight face, licking his lips before covering his mouth with his hand to hide the grin he couldn't contain. "Hell of a party the night before, huh?" He asked, frowning and shuffling himself to sit higher against his pillows and reaching for the glass of water; shooing Taylor off when he moved to help with an exasperated grin. "I ain't dyin', quit babyin' me." He huffed, biting his cheek when Taylor rolled his eyes and turned away.

"Stubborn little-" he began, only to be interrupted by Jake's hum of irritation as he sipped his water.

"Quit callin' me little," he complained, as Taylor tried not to smirk at his childish pout. "I ain't been little in years… ya gonna gimme a goddamn complex already." He said, shaking his head as he drank some more water and sighed with relief when his throat stopped aching so fiercely. "Now come on; hangover from hell..." he prompted, waving his hand for Taylor to resume and looking over expectantly.

"It's uh, probably not so interesting as you're thinking." Taylor hedged, folding his arms over his chest and walking slowly to the window a short ways from the bed. "I'd been minding my own business when I happened to stumble across a big uh,  _ party _ ." He said, clearing his throat and glancing at Jake uncertainly, before sucking in a deep breath and looking out into whatever scenery lay beyond. "That's probably a very kind description, to be honest. There were lots of pretty girls and boys, a lot of them under a particular age and… they were being sold off."

"A slave market?" Jake asked as his brows rose in surprise, setting his glass back on the side as he watched Taylor's expression darken.

"I suppose, in a manner." Taylor conceded tensely, his fingers curling over the sides of his arms and gripping tightly as he stared through the window with a scowl. 

"How the hell'd ya stumble across a goddamn…" Jake demanded, biting his tongue briefly against the less than pleasant choice of words which tried to escape him. " _ Auction _ like that?" He finally managed, frowning at Taylor curiously as he lifted his hand to run his fingers through his hair, before dropping his hand with a huff of frustration; remembering his military issue cut.

The redhead remained silent for a long pause, until Jake thought perhaps he'd demanded too much from him. However, just as he was about to apologise and rescind the question, Taylor finally sucked in a deep breath and answered in a quiet, resigned tone. "I was following someone… a man, who I knew was not entirely pleasant or would be particularly missed in the world, really. He hurt someone very badly… and I had chosen him for that reason."

"Someone ya knew?" Jake asked, doing his best to feign disinterest as he avoided looking at Taylor, hiding his eyes by turning to pick up his almost empty glass again. "Like, a uh... friend?" He asked, his brows raising innocently as he took a sip of water and peeked over for half a glance at the redhead.

Taylor snorted, rolling his eyes as he looked over at Jake with a wry grin. "Your subtlety knows no bounds, does it?" He snickered, exhaling slowly as he shook his head discreetly. "And no, not anyone I knew. I'd read about it all in a police file. He was the suspect, victim identified him; by  _ name _ at that… but they couldn't tie him to it, because he had money and powerful friends with even more money." He scoffed, tilting his chin up slightly higher as he looked back out the window. 

"So, ya always been into savin' others then? Protectin' those who uh," Jake asked, pausing to cough and frown thoughtfully at Taylor, as he set his now empty glass aside. "Who ain't able to protect themselves. A real angel…" he said fondly, though he trailed off and raised a brow when Taylor began to snicker and laugh.

"You've always thought the best of me... despite your first impression of me, being the violent killing of some lowlife scumbag." He finally gasped, shaking his head with amusement as he continued to chuckle to himself. "In short; no. I'm not some avenging angel, no vigilante; fighting evil and righting wrongs under cover of darkness… my needs just happen to coincide with the need for a person or two to disappear sometimes." He said, his tone sobering slowly, as he gazed distantly out the window, chafing his arms with his hands unconsciously.

"So…" Jake began, swallowing thickly as he nodded slowly and lowered his eyes to the bed covers, his gaze lingering on his hand as an irrational sense of disappointment welled in his chest. "That's why ya saved me?" He asked, drawing in a deep breath as he half cocked his head and narrowed his eyes as he examined his fingers. "Just, happened to work out for ya… suit ya  _ needs _ and all."

Thick silence permeated the room, Jake's clear eyes locked onto his hand unseeingly, as his chest seemed to constrict with some irrational sense of loss. He heard Taylor sigh and heard soft footsteps leave the window, but still jumped when Taylor's hands appeared beside his own on the bed; though they were careful not to touch him. "I was sleeping off the worst hangover you could imagine… in the back of that torn up bakery. Nice and dark, peace and quiet. I think I'd been there at least three days." Taylor explained quietly, his fingertips tapping together nervously as Jake reluctantly peeked up at deep blue orbs, watching him intently. "I was pretty pissed when I woke up, in all honesty. I never have been a morning person." He snickered softly, lowering his eyes briefly as he hesitated, before deliberately reaching for Jake's hand and squeezing it tentatively. "But, then I see this cute little kid; and I thought perhaps I could cut him some slack, since he seemed to be hiding from someone. I was going to just let you be, hide however long you needed and go on your merry way… but then mister creeper came in after you." He said, drawing in a deep breath as he met Jake's gaze fondly. "You weren't afraid, not of him and not of me; or at least, you put on a convincing front abou-"

"I weren't scared." Jake muttered quietly, glancing away as he felt his face glow with warmth, clearing his throat awkwardly before looking back in unusual shyness. "... not of  _ you _ ." He added even quieter, though he knew Taylor heard him from the redhead's sudden, amused grin.

"Hmm…" Taylor huffed, ducking his head to hide a grin before cocking his jaw and averting his gaze from Jake so that they were both avoiding each other's gaze in compatible silence for a brief moment. "Yes, well… on top of being fearless, you were also pretty adorable. I chose to save you, because I could… not because I needed to-" he said, pausing and clearing his throat as he released Jake's hand and leaned back in his chair.

Jake fought the flicker of a grin from tugging at his lips, his irrational disappointment flipping abruptly to a mixture of smugness and curiosity. "Eat?" He prodded, laughing and leaning back in his pillows as Taylor looked over at him sharply. "What? Ya think I can't make an educated guess as to what ya are? I mean, ya ain't aged a day in almost twenty years. Ya strong enough that ya pick up full grown men with barely a flick of ya wrist… and sometimes ya move so quick, it's in the blink of an eye." He listed, freeing his hand from Taylor's so he could tick off his fingers. "Plus…" he began, biting his lip as he hesitated and cleared his throat, his good mood falling away as regret swept through him. "Ya pulled away when I kissed ya, 'cause my lip started bleedin' again." 

Taylor eyed Jake with cool wariness, his shoulders tense as he sat stiffly in the chair, leaning on his forearms as he hesitated before replying. "What makes you think I'm not just turned off by the taste of blood when some little  _ brat _ doesn't take 'no' for an answer and mashes your faces together?" He asked, his speech slowly devolving into a frustrated rant.

Jake grinned winningly, glancing over slyly as he raised a brow. "'Cause most people's eyes ain't red when they get angry or taste blood." He said winking when Taylor's jaw snapped shut and he undeniably pouted at him. "First time I saw ya, walkin' outta the shadows… and again, when ya beat up Tetra and his goons. Then… when we ki-"

"Alright, alright, fine." Taylor bit out waspishly, his mood seeming to plummet with embarrassment and frustration as Jake's lit with amusement. "So, you're telling me you saw that and never once felt scared of me? Of what you  _ thought _ I was?"

"What I  _ know  _ ya are." Jake corrected with a knowing snort, shaking his head fondly as Taylor rolled his eyes at his cocky attitude. "Why?  _ You _ ain't ever hurt me." Jake said, frowning in honest confusion as Taylor lowered his eyes and worried his lip. "What..? Ya ain't gonna tell me it's gonna get ya in trouble with the others, me knowin'?" He asked with mounting concern, as Taylor raised his eyes to meet Jake's clear gaze. "I ain't ever said nothin', I swear! So it ain't like it's gonna get back to any-"

Jake fell silent as Taylor began to laugh, first mere quiet chuckles, before he erupted in a fit of giddy giggles, made all the worse by Jake's darkening, affronted pout. "Oh god, I'm sorry… I'm not laughing at you, I promise!" He gasped, snorting and snickering again as he hid his face behind his hand, set off into a new burst of amusement at Jake's haughtily raised brow. "Okay, I  _ am _ … a  _ little _ ." He admitted, sucking in a deep breath as he tried to quell his laughter. "I'm sorry, it's just… you're so worried about me. It's touching, really it is."

"Just what I was going for." Jake said dryly, rolling his eyes as his lip twitched with amusement. "'Course, if ya wanted me to touch ya, all ya had to do was ask." He added, winking when Taylor laughed softly at the offer.

"Maybe some other time." He snickered, as he gathered himself and peered at Jake, examining the sincere concern in his clear gaze with barely concealed bafflement. "You don't need to worry. You haven't got me in uh, in any  _ trouble _ ." He said, clearing his throat when his voice wavered and laughter bubbled threateningly. "... there aren't any 'others'." He said at last, as Jake frowned in confusion.

"There… ain't others?" He repeated uncertainly, his frown deepening as he considered for several long seconds, before looking up at Taylor slowly. "But then how'd ya..? I mean, don't there have to be someone else involved? Someone like ya? Like, uh…" he paused, his cheeks flushing with heat as Taylor smirked and leaned back in his chair, his arms folded over his chest as he ran his tongue over his teeth in amusement. " _ Ahem… _ nevermind." He mumbled, looking down at his lap with a scowl, when Taylor began to laugh quietly again.

"Like…  _ Dracula _ ?" He asked teasingly, his dark eyes bright with the level of his amusement. He laughed openly for a short time, shaking his head as Jake sighed and rolled his eyes irritably. "Alright, I'm sorry… I shouldn't have laughed." He coughed, straightening himself in the chair as he looked over at Jake fondly. "There's nobody like me, Jake. I'm one of a kind, the original, the  _ only _ ." He snickered, his expression sobering and turning contemplative as he leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Dracula, the myth and legend; the various films you'd think of or see? All based on me, by the odd person or two, who may have witnessed a brief glimpse of my, uh... temper." He explained, glancing at Jake before looking away in obvious embarrassment.

Jake remained quiet for some time, processing the idea that an entire mythology was based not only on one person, but one he happened to know. He fidgeted guiltily, attempting to quash the small bead of jealousy which sparked at the realisation that others had seen Taylor in their lives, mollifying himself with the knowledge that none of them had known the truth of the man. "That don't answer my question." He finally sighed, clearing his throat as Taylor raised a brow in surprise. He looked over at the redhead, his clear eyes boring into Taylor's dark blue orbs determinedly. "How'd ya get to be…  _ different _ ?" He asked pointedly, as Taylor's lip twitched briefly at having his own words from so long before, thrown back at him.

" _ That _ , is another story entirely." Taylor said, shaking his head and pushing to his feet abruptly, swiping the empty glass from Jake's bedside table and moving to the door quickly. "I think we've had plenty of reminiscing already today. You should rest." He said quickly, halfway through the door already.

"What ya said about ya folks..!" Jake called quickly, leaning forward and bracing himself on his palm, as he twisted and lifted the covers, sliding one leg out before blinking and discovering a hand on his thigh, holding him in the bed. He looked up in surprise, a slow if semi guilty smirk playing on his lips as he peered up at Taylor's scowling face innocently. "Did they know? Was that part of why they-"

"You're not gonna leave this alone, are you?" Taylor interrupted, his tone fluctuating between resigned and exasperated. "What the hell does it matter? I was just feeling melancholy, you were sharing parental woes, I shared too… why can't that just be the end of it?" He asked, grimacing and setting the now full glass down on the bedside table. "Look, will you just lay down again please? We've already established this isn't my best work, so I'd really rather you not pull something…" he fussed, as Jake groaned but complied with his efforts to get him back into bed.

"Aw, c'mon!" Jake protested with a childish pout, lounging back against the pillows petulantly as he watched Taylor check him over. "Ya can't expect me to finally have ya confirm all this, as well as tell me ya the only one; and then  _ not _ expect me to be bloody curious." He said, narrowing his eyes briefly, before snagging Taylor's wrist to prevent him performing anymore checks, forcing the redhead to reluctantly meet his gaze. " _ More _ curious." He clarified, holding Taylor's gaze despite his obvious unease and desire to look away. "Ya been in my head since I was four years old… I'd appreciate a few answers to some real old questions." He said slowly, his thumb brushing the underneath of Taylor's wrist as the redhead looked down at him, an irritated tic in his cheek at Jake's boldness.

"You're such a pain in the ass." Taylor finally sighed, averting his eyes and gently removing his wrist from Jake's hold. "Fine, okay?!" He agreed bitterly, pouting resentfully as he moved away and resumed his earlier pacing. "Apparently privacy is a thing of the past… heaven forbid I be allowed to keep my own history to myself." He muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair distractedly as he paced behind the chair.

"Pfft, ya say that like there's a damn thing I could do if ya actually said no." Jake scoffed, rolling his eyes at Taylor's childish and overly dramatic reaction. "We both know, if ya really didn't wanna tell me, ya would've just left me here and disappeared, like ya always do." He said, frowning at the smart sting in his heart, recalling the disappointment he'd felt upon Taylor's disappearance from the hospital.

"I wasn't the one to walk away, last time we met." Taylor replied waspishly, pausing in his pacing to glance over guiltily. "Sorry… I might not have left, but I didn't exactly give you reason to stay." He admitted quietly, sighing as he rounded his chair and flopped down into it ungracefully. "It's just… I haven't spoken about this. Never had to explain myself, never felt the inclination to 'tell my story' or any such nonsense." He scoffed, turning his head and propping his chin on his fingers, swallowing heavily as he hesitated. "For some irritating reason, I find you fascinating… and it's very hard to deny you."

"I remember one time ya managed to deny me." Jake murmured quietly, a long silence passing between them as they fell into past memories, before Jake cleared his throat and rolled onto his side, watching Taylor intently for his slightest reaction. "So, ya ain't ever told  _ anyone _ ? Not even ya folks?" He asked, smirking coyly to break the tension in the air around them. "We can come back to that whole, ya find me fascinatin' thing later..."

Taylor snorted, smiling as he rolled his eyes and turned to face Jake. "How one person can be so charming and so infuriating together, I'll never know." He huffed, shaking his head fondly as he drew in a deep breath and leaned his head back against the chair, his eyes rising to the ceiling as he thought for a moment.

"I wasn't exactly what you would have called normal, when I was uh,  _ younger _ ." Taylor slowly explained, drawing in a deep breath and clicking his tongue as he paused for a moment. "When I was  _ human. _ " He corrected, closing his eyes briefly as his shoulders relaxed, as if a great weight had lifted from them. "I didn't want to die; and I was certainly not going to grow old..." he said, hesitating as he lifted his hands to his hair, sweeping it back from his face as he frowned over at Jake. "But are you really sure my sorry history is something you want to know about? Because it may take some time to explain proper-"

"I wanna know." Jake interrupted quickly, his eyes flicking over Taylor curiously as the redhead huffed a quiet laugh and lowered his eyes to the floor. "I wanna know." He repeated, shifting his weight to make himself more comfortable as Taylor sighed heavily and glanced away. "Please?"

"Oh well, seeing as you asked so politely." Taylor snickered, rolling his eyes and finally dropping his hands to his lap as he fidgeted uneasily. "... I guess, to really understand, you'd have to know that I was a… well, I guess the only real word for it is a  _ witch _ ." He said slowly, glancing at Jake with reddened cheeks, before looking away as Jake blinked uncomprehendingly. "Mostly I just made medicinal salves, herbal remedies… that sort of thing. A healer." He explained, moving his legs so he could cross his ankles. "But to really make things which  _ worked _ , I uh… I dabbled in something a little stronger." He said evasively, biting his lip and frowning down at his own hands.

"Ya mean magic?" Jake drawled, his brows furrowing curiously as Taylor glanced at him sharply. "What? Ya think I ain't a believer, after seein' ya in action?" He asked, snickering at Taylor's apparent surprise while he propped his head up on his palm.

"Seeing and believing are two different things." Taylor said, frowning as he looked away again, his expression clearing as he sighed and toyed with his own fingers for a short pause. "But yes… I used magic. I would use spells to make salves, herbal pouches and idols to prolong people's lives, help their sex drives, keep them looking young." He explained, spreading his palms and gesturing to himself. "Though obviously, I perfected the technique  _ only _ for myself." He snorted, shaking his head as he exhaled a deep breath slowly. "It took me awhile to figure everything out… I practised on the various things I made for people, mostly… young men, purchasing things to court young women with." He said awkwardly, cocking is jaw as he glanced across as Jake and grinned. "Bet you can't guess how they paid me…"

Jake laughed at the insinuation, his clear eyes sparkling with amusement at Taylor's cocky grin and self satisfied aura. "And they just went with that..?" He asked, as Taylor winked and looked away, his smile lingering as he gazed down at his fingers thoughtfully. "Guess it weren't such a big deal back then, huh?"

"Oh, it was." Taylor said dismissively, chuckling to himself as he scraped one of his fingernails. "I was just that good, and the girls they bought things for usually went on to give them big families like they wanted as a result… what price was a quick fumble, for all that?" He huffed, shaking his head and sighing slowly.

"I guess…" Jake said, frowning as he watched Taylor for a moment, thinking back on the night in his room three years before. "But then, if they were all willin' to… how come-"

"Same reason your friend was beaten." Taylor interrupted quietly, looking over calmly from beneath his lashes. "Somebody saw me one day…  _ accepting payment _ ; and they couldn't keep their mouth shut. Next thing you know, I'm trussed up and tied to the centre of a big pile of wood, with people yelling that I'm despicable; an abomination." He scoffed, his brow furrowing as he hummed contemplatively. "I remember it was probably the last time I was actually scared…" he said, drawing in a breath to continue as he glanced at Jake, before clearing his throat and remaining silent instead. 

"Shit…" Jake swore, shaking his head slowly as he tried to imagine how Taylor might have felt at such a time and coming up blank. He frowned, looking up at Taylor with a raised brow. "But ya were already…" he asked, gesturing towards the redhead.

Taylor laughed, his dark blue eyes softening as he met Jake's curious gaze. "Yes, I was already  _ different _ ." He snickered, leaning forward and resting his wrists on the edge of the bed. "About four years before, though I hadn't really had a way to properly confirm it... past my stunning good looks remaining intact." He chuckled, winking at Jake conspiratorially.

"But that ain't much of a confirmation." Jake argued, frowning as he was drawn into the story, much to Taylor's amusement. "How'd ya know it'd really worked? That ya weren't just really lucky in bein' ridiculously hot for life..?"

Taylor rolled his eyes and pretended not to notice the warmth which surfaced in his cheeks, lowering his eyes to the bed briefly as he ignored Jake's unsubtle flattery. "Because the uh,  _ side effect _ was pretty persistent." He said, peeking up at Jake as his expression slowly sobered. "As soon as I cast that spell… I knew something was different. That I had what I wanted but; it had come at a price. One I hadn't anticipated." He said, licking his lips as he hesitated and took a moment to consider how to explain; grateful for Jake's perceptive and patient silence as he waited. "Magic is balanced… a trade of power." He said abruptly, narrowing his eyes as he looked over at Jake. "You use it, but you have to be giving to others…" He explained, sucking in a deep breath as he paused and grimaced. "Helping others, that balance is maintained. You use a little and you give a piece of yourself in transmission. But, what I did…" he said, shaking his head slowly and lowering his head, as he rolled his palms together. "What I did betrayed the natural order and, as a result… nature, magic; or just something with a really warped sense of humour," he said, snorting as he tipped his head back against his chair and looked over at Jake with a wry grin. "It decided that kind of  _ selfish _ behaviour, deserved to be punished."

"So," Jake drawled slowly, wrinkling his nose in thought as he processed Taylor's confession. He hung his head, biting his lip as he narrowed his eyes and contemplated for a short time. "What ya sayin' is, ya got punished for protectin' yaself and in the process, makin' sure ya stay… hot as hell for all time?" He asked, his lip quirking with amusement as Taylor huffed with fond exasperation.

"You're determined to think the best of me." He scoffed, shaking his head as he looked over at Jake intently, watching him closely. "Listen well, little wolf…" he said, leaning forward slowly and bracing his elbows on his knees, finger fingers steepling beneath his chin. "What I did, was not something noble or chivalrous. I didn't do it because I was scared, or protecting myself from some threat." He said softly, cocking his head and grinning lopsidedly. "I did it, because I'm a selfish prick who wanted to be young and beautiful forever." He said, spreading his palms indifferently, as Jake hummed and looked down at his bed. He waited a moment, watching Jake ponder his own thoughts, before tipping his head slightly further to try and gauge his reaction. "... disappointed?" He asked, shifting forward to perch on the edge of his chair and fidgeting awkwardly. "I've never regretted my decision. If I had the option to go back, I'd still do it again."

"Even knowin' the consequences this time?" Jake asked quietly, his eyes remaining locked onto the bed as he sifted through Taylor's story slowly and attempting to decipher his feelings about it. "Ya wouldn't spare yaself the pain?" He wondered aloud, frowning as he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Spare yaself from what they did to ya?" 

Taylor drew in a deep breath, resting his forearms on his knees for a moment, before switching from the chair to the edge of the bed, hesitating momentarily before leaning close to Jake's ear. "... I wouldn't even hesitate." He whispered, pulling back slowly as Jake snorted and snickered quietly.

"See?" Jake said smugly, flopping back against his pillows and smirking at Taylor, bumping his fist to the redhead's shoulder as he blinked in surprise. " _ That's _ how I know ya really are an angel." He insisted, grinning as Taylor's jaw dropped and he gave a breathless laugh. "It's all in the self sacrifice. I mean, if ya didn't go through all that, ya couldn't have saved me…" he said wisely, winking playfully when Taylor shook his head and eyed him fondly. 

"You're impossible." Taylor finally countered, sighing in exasperation as Jake grinned proudly at the statement.

"I try." He said with an indifferent shrug, tipping his chin towards Taylor curiously. "So, how long was it? Before ya realised what'd happened?" He asked curiously, his fingers gliding slowly over the covers to brush against Taylor's gently.

Taylor huffed and turned his head away, rolling his eyes as he chose to ignore Jake's wandering fingers. "It was always there, really." He said, cocking his head thoughtfully as he looked down at his lap. "A feeling, a… a change. I didn't understand it, couldn't name it or have ever even imagined such a consequence, at that point." He said, exhaling slowly as Jake curled his fingers over his tentatively. "I spent a year ignoring it, though it got steadily more prominent. This constant gnawing in my gut, a hunger that was never satisfied. Until one day, when I killed and uh… ate a rabbit." He said quickly, his fingers slipping from Jake's as he got to his feet and paced restlessly. 

Jake hummed thoughtfully, nodding slowly as he reached up to scratch his chin, pretending not to notice the lingering warmth from Taylor's fingers. "Ya mean the whole… blood sucking thing? How the hell'd ya figure that out exactly? Must've felt weird…" he rambled to himself, voicing his thoughts before he could stop himself.

"It was beyond disgusting. Tasted awful." Taylor scoffed, wrinkling his nose in distaste of the memory. "But it was just… natural, I guess? Or as natural as that kind of thing can possibly be." He snorted, shaking his head and folding his arms over his chest, his shoulders tensing as he paced faster behind his chair. "One minute I'm collecting some plants and herbs I needed, a few rocks and other minerals… next thing I'm painted red and this little-" he paused, his pacing coming to an abrupt halt as he glanced over at Jake with an indecipherable emotion in his dark eyes. "Uh, never mind."

"So… ya figured people would be better?" Jake asked, his imagination running rampant with the influx of information which Taylor divulged. "What was it like? I mean, I know ya said disgustin' and tasted awful… but, it made a difference, right?" He asked, watching Taylor frown and run a hand up into his hair.

"Is this in depth study of me really necessary?" He sighed, turning and walking away from the bed, leaning his back against the wall beside the window and pouting back at Jake petulantly, when he merely gazed over at him patiently. "Fine! Yes, it made a difference! The gnawing in my gut eased and I didn't feel like I wanted to snap everyone's neck whenever they spoke to me." He said waspishly, all but sticking his tongue out as he scowled over at Jake. "Happy now?" He demanded, aoghing and knocking his head back against the wall as Jake lowered his eyes to his lap. "This is… it's weird to talk about, okay? I never explained myself to anyone before." Taylor said slowly, as Jake peeked back over, accepting the unspoken apology as Taylor fidgeted and finally pushed off the wall, moving back to the chair and leaning over the back of it. "And no… I never even considered people being better. I realised what it was, the consequence of my abusing the power I wielded… but I just assumed I had to deal with it. Learn how to adapt and keep myself…  _ sated _ ." He said awkwardly, grimacing and looking away.

Jake nodded thoughtfully, turning the idea over in his head for a short time, before looking back at Taylor; caving to the itch to know more. "So then, ya tellin' me ya munched on the wildlife for four years..?" Jake asked, frowning as he shifted himself on his pillows and carefully stifled a yawn. "Then how'd ya know to upgrade?"

Taylor was silent for a long, tense pause, leaving Jake to wonder if his curiosity had become too much of an invasion. He shifted lower in the bed, blinking slowly as Taylor finally sighed and ran his hands over his mouth. "I managed to work things out. When the cravings grew worse, how to focus myself… how to continue using magic and thus, continue to give my aide in return for my quick fumbles." He said quietly, locking his lips as he drew in a quick breath. "As I said, I was seen… and for that, they burned me. Which, as you can imagine, pissed me off." He said, a flicker of a smile briefly emerging on his lips, before it disappeared just as quickly. "As soon as the ropes burned through and released me… I killed them all." He said simply, spreading his palms and looking over at Jake with carefully guarded eyes. 

Jake closed his eyes, attempting to imagine the pain and betrayal which must have overwhelmed Taylor, though he was certain his own history couldn't come close. Finally he shook his head and sighed, forcing his eyes open and looking over at Taylor tiredly. "Well, sunlight ain't a fix for ya… first met ya in the day and ya walked around just fine. So then, what about-" he began, a deep yawn forcing him to pause before he could continue. "Garlic or uh, needin' permission to go into places?" He queried, as Taylor blinked and stared at him in confused silence.

"You remember..?" He began, raising himself from the back of the chair and shaking his head, his brows lifting in surprise as he looked down at his hands, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Can you imagine me being kept out of somewhere I want to go?" He asked instead, snorting softly as he looked over at Jake with fond amusement, his tense shoulders relaxing as he walked around the chair and approached the bed. "And I avoid garlic only because I detest it, not because it hurts me." He said, his fingers hovering by Jake's brow, before gently threading into his short cropped hair. "I miss your hair." He mused distantly, eyeing the shortly sheared strands as Jake's eyes drifted closed against his will. "Get some rest, wolf. You can invade my privacy and try to steal all my secrets from me another time." He said softly, as he removed his hand and began to quietly back away.

Jake hummed in vague disapproval, his brow furrowing as he tried to peel his eyes open barely catching sight of Taylor before they closed again. "So… d'ya have f-fangs?" Jake slurred as he reluctantly nestled into his pillows. "Will ya… show me?" He mumbled, warmth spreading through him as he distantly heard Taylor's exasperated laughter drift back to him.

"Go to  _ sleep _ , Jake." He huffed, before his quiet footsteps disappeared entirely and Jake was forced to give in to the darkness which waited to claim him. 

Time moved on as Jake slept, which at first he did peacefully; before the dreams came. The dreams however were laced with fire, pierced by fear and dread; and the unwelcome sense of his own inevitable demise. Jake wrestled with his subconscious, trying to sway the fires which ravaged his mind. He caught glimpses through the smoke and the flames, of bodies falling around him and finally of an explosion; which hurtled debris towards him, as he stood motionless and disbelieving.

"Hey…" he woke with a gasp, his eyes snapping open but his sight remaining unfocused, until he found midnight blue orbs hovering above him, concern burning in their dark depths. "Hey, calm down… come on. Shh…" Taylor soothed softly, his red hair standing on end like a fiery crown as he found Jake's hand where it had become tangled among the covers and squeezed gently.

Jake sucked in a deep breath, shuddering as he tried to calm his racing heart. "I…" he choked, looking down at himself on the bed, tracing his free hand over his chest slowly. "I was hurt…" he said thickly, licking his lips as he peered up at Taylor, who noticeably tensed with sudden wariness. "I- nah,  _ we _ were…" he muttered, shaking his head as Taylor bit his lip and straightened, leaning back from Jake where he perched on the bed beside him. "Wh-what happened..?" He whispered with a shiver, scrubbing his free hand over his eyes harshly until Taylor's fingers closed over his own and drew them away from his face.

"You were hurt." Taylor confirmed, his tone hesitant as he chose his words carefully. "You recovered here, over the past week and a half. You were awake the most yesterday afternoon..." He said slowly, pausing to lick his lips as he debated briefly. "I don't know everything." He warned abruptly, his shoulders relaxing slightly as Jake nodded and waved his hand quickly for him to continue. "Okay, well… you were deposited in very  _ unfriendly _ territory with your team to, uh… go do whatever you were meant to do. Like I said, I don't know everything." He said, scratching the back of his hand guiltily while Jake nodded slowly, aware of a vague sense of familiarity forming at the explanation. "You were all… doing your thing, with you being your usual idiot self." Taylor huffed, as Jake looked up slowly, realisation pooling in his gut like the slow pour of cold water over his head. "But then, one of your team found something. They called you all over, but your friend seemed to reakise something… he pushed you aside just before everything went up in a blaze of fire and smoke." He said slowly, his dark eyes cautious as he watched Jake absorb the information.

"Mike…" he coughed, blinking rapidly as he sucked in a deep breath and tried to fight off the shivers in his spine. "Did he-?" He choked, his words breaking off with a rough sound of dismay, already guessing the answer from Taylor's sympathetic gaze. 

"I'm sorry, Jake." The redhead said softly, reaching for Jake's hand and squeezing gently. "I couldn't save him for you this time." He said, looking away in obvious guilt and regret, as Jake's heart fluttered with remorse. "Mike pushed you out of the way of the initial blast, but there were a couple of groups waiting to comverge and wipe out any survivors. Your team went down, and when a second blast went off; you were hit bad by some debris. You were being crushed… and you were pretty badly burnt, by the time I found you." He explained, swallowing thickly as Jake sucked in a deep breath and gasped, his face screwed up tightly from the effort to hold back his grief. "Hey," Taylor whispered, his eyes returning to Jake as he gripped the bed sheets tightly. "You don't have to be brave… just this once, let it go." He urged, leaning closer and covering Jake's hands with his own in an attempt to comfort him.

Jake gasped, shaking his head as he strove to keep the tide of grief which threatened to consume him at bay. "How come ya were there?" He demanded, his breath quickening as Taylor immediately looked away. "Ya followed me." Jake guessed knowingly, a small shiver rippling down his sides as he narrowed his eyes at the redhead, his pulse jumping dangerously as his emotions caused chaos inside him. "Three goddamn years… ya couldn't just say ya were sorry?" He scoffed, a semi hysterical hiccup escaping him as Taylor visibly bristled and turned back sharply, scowling down at him.

"I don't  _ have _ to say sorry to anyone!" He spat, his eyes swirling warningly as Jake heard his own blood rushing in his ears. "I saved your sorry ass time and again; and you had the  _ audacity _ to demand answers of me!" He fumed, gritting his teeth as he growled at Jake. "I saved you because _ I _ wanted to! I followed you because _ I _ wanted to! Because I don't  _ have _ to admit that I care, if I don't damn well  _ want _ to!"

Jake's breath caught in his throat, his awed cerulean gaze locked into Taylor's furious glare for a full heartbeat, before he snatched a hand free from beneath Taylor's and slapped it behind his neck; rising halfway from the bed to press his mouth to the redheads demandingly. Immediately Taylor nipped at his lower lip, a low hum of rebuke escaping his throat even as he returned the passionate and urgent kiss hungrily. His chest rumbled warningly as Jake thrust his tongue into the redheads mouth, desperately trying to push aside the grief he felt by smothering it with the bottomless desire he felt for Taylor. He sucked in an urgent gasp of air as his lips parted briefly from Taylor's, as the redhead curled own hand around Jake's throat and pushed him back to his pillows firmly; though he was forced to follow by Jake's tight hold on the back of his neck.

Jake growled, pulling Taylor closer as he arched beneath the bed sheets, needing to feel as much of the other man against himself as he could. He sniffed, reprimanding himself heavily when Taylor stiffened and redoubling his efforts to seduce the redhead. His lips teased at Taylor's, his teeth worrying and bruising the soft flesh before his tongue soothed the area fleetingly; an endless caress which at last drew a small moan of yearning from Taylor. Jake squeezed his eyes shut, his breath catching and aching in his chest as he kissed the redhead determinedly, pulling him closer as he pretended not to notice the dampness which slowly covered his cheeks. "Jake…" Taylor finally sighed, his kiss softening as his stiff posture loosened; but not yet ending, continuing to offer a gentler form of comfort, as Jake's lip began to tremble. "This isn't what you need right now…" he murmured quietly, allowing Jake another lingering kiss; the passion sufficiently quieted as he pressed his lips to Jake's a final time, before knocking their foreheads together with a frustrated sigh. "Why is it you always feel the need to kiss me at the  _ worst _ of times?" He huffed, panting quietly and running his hands over Jake's arms as he shuddered.

"Can't help it…" Jake muttered, gripping and squeezing at Taylor's shoulders as he tried to catch his breath. "Ya went and made yaself irresistible for all time… what'd ya expect?" He tried to laugh, but felt no humour despite the playful jab. He swallowed, forcing his hands to drop from Taylor's shoulders after a final squeeze, flopping his head back on the pillows tiredly. "Fuck... " he choked, pointedly staring at the ceiling as he locked his jaw and tried to stop the hitch of his chest.

"Jake…" Taylor murmured, running his fingers across the short cropped hair which had used to be Jake's fringe. "Let it out. There's nobody else here… I can go, if you need some time-"

"No." Jake said thickly, staring up at the ceiling for another long pause, blinking slowly as he sucked in a long, deep breath. "Stay… this-" he said, shaking his head and swallowing thickly as he rolled onto his side and scooted back, tugging Taylor down beside him and holding him close as he nodded slowly. "I need  _ this _ ." He whispered, closing his eyes as he felt Taylor hesitate for the longest period of time that he'd ever known him to, before his hands slowly and uncertainly crept around his back.

"You  _ owe _ me… wolf." Taylor murmured in his ear, as Jake finally let go of the tight hold he kept on his emotions, his tears soaking Taylor's chest as he gently held him and made soothing sounds of comfort. Finally relaxing fully in the embrace of the one person he trusted not to judge him, Jake allowed himself to cry for the first time.

When Jake's eyes next opened, he was unsurprised to find himself alone in bed. He sighed, rubbing his eyes with tired frustration and lifting his hand to his hair and scratching slowly, grimacing at the brush of the short strands between his fingers. "Stupid Navy…" he muttered scathingly, rolling his head back in his pillows and staring at the ceiling, his lip curling briefly as he recalled Taylor's fondness for his longer hair. His fond feelings plummeted however, upon recalling his previous conversation with the redhead. "Mike…" he whispered, shaking his head lightly in disbelief, his hands curling into tight balls. "Dumb bastard." He scoffed, narrowing his eyes at the ceiling as his throat tightened, refusing to give in to the sting in his eyes a second time. He sucked in a sharp breath, rolling to his side and lifting his covers, before catching sight of Taylor in his chair and immediately stilling. He blinked slowly, careful to remain quiet as he examined Taylor's sleeping face, his pain receding beneath the tide of his longing; remembering the two brief but fierce kisses which they'd shared. He bit his lip, his clear eyes flicking over Taylor hungrily, before lowering them to his legs as he slowly slid them from the bed.

He winced in anticipation, expecting the redhead to wake. He was pleasantly surprised, however, when he successfully freed himself from the bed and walked slowly around the chair; grateful to his training, only for his ability to not wake his sleeping angel. He grinned lopsidedly to himself, certain Taylor would scoff and roll his eyes if he knew what Jake still believed about him; but he had no intention of waking him to tell him. Instead he crept passed him and frowned as he looked around with open curiosity, narrowing his eyes when he entered a large living room with only a single table and chair. "Figures… minimalist." He huffed quietly, glancing back to the bedroom he'd woken in to make sure he hadn't woken Taylor. "Guess that makes sense when ya been alone for… god knows how long." He murmured, as he silently paced a few steps further, spotting a kitchen attached to the side of the living room and a bathroom just off a short hallway. "Hmm…" he hummed, moving to the bathroom and looking through the cupboards with vague curiosity. He snorted softly at the contingency of hair products, shaking his head fondly before closing the cupboard and looking down at himself, wrinkling his nose at the way his thin pajama bottoms stuck to him. With a grimace, Jake slid the material down his legs, tossing them into the wash basket he saw in the corner before turning his palms to his face and peering down to examine himself curiously. "Huh…" he thought aloud, shrugging and lowering his hands, lifting his head before stepping into the shower.

Jake hummed contently as he turned the taps, the warm trickle of water soon gaining power and turning to a hot, thundering cascade. He leaned his palms against the shower wall, dipping his head beneath the spray and blinking slowly as he let his thoughts drift. He remembered his fallen team, his best friend and the change in their relationship, ever since Taylor had saved Mike's life. "I'm sorry…" he breathed, his fingers curling against the tiles as he sighed and closed his eyes, allowing the heat of the water to soothe him as it coursed over his back and neck. He swallowed heavily, pushing off the wall and turning around, facing the spray of water and holding his breath briefly, before gasping and running his hands up his face and over his short hair. "Hope ya next life is better, pal." He said briskly, clearing his throat as he pushed aside his remorse and picked up a small tub of shower gel and popped the lid, sniffing cautiously before shrugging his shoulders and lathering himself liberally. He sighed and closed his eyes, relaxing as he ran his hands over himself, thinking of how lucky he was to have had a guardian angel, keeping him safe when he was too foolhardy to admit he'd made a mistake. His eyes opened slowly, gazing unseeingly at the far shower wall, considering the fact that he would have died, had Taylor not have saved him in time. His hands slowed, his head cocked to the side as he licked his lips slowly, narrowing his eyes as he lifted them to the bathroom door. Jake considered his thoughts carefully, turning each one over in his head as he massaged his fingers into his scalp, washing his hair with one of the various bottles he'd spotted in the cupboard. Finally deeming himself clean enough, he shut off the water and hesitated in the shower, his skin glittering as he reached for a towel and slowly dried himself, before wrapping the towel around his waist. 

"Okay… walkin' and showerin' are doable." He huffed, his lip hitching into a crooked grin as he glanced at himself in the mirror, before opening the door and making his way back to the living room. "Uh…" he balked, biting his lip guiltily when he met Taylor in the middle of the room. "I uh, I just… took a shower." He said needlessly, gesturing over his shoulder as he coughed and lowered his eyes, trying to hide a grin as he peeked up at Taylor from beneath his lashes.

Taylor raised a brow, his lip twitching despite his obvious frustration. "So I can see." He said, trying and failing to sound reprimanding as he rolled his eyes and turned away, moving to lean against the wall as he folded his arms over his chest. "I guess it's lucky I don't sleep like the dead… else I wouldn't have known if you'd gotten yourself in trouble." He snickered, grinning when Jake snorted himself.

"Death by shower after everythin'... I wouldn't be surprised." He sighed, as Taylor grimaced but ultimately laughed and looked away. Jake licked his lip, a hand resting atop the towel at his waist as he deliberated briefly before casually stepping toward Taylor and leaning against the wall beside him. "So… why ya got nothin' in here?" He asked, gesturing to the large empty room with his free hand.

"This is… well," Taylor began easily, before pausing and blushing, looking down at his hands in feigned nonchalance. "This is more for dancing than anything else… stop laughing! It's therapeutic!" He said, finally snapping at Jake and pouting, when he snickered and snorted behind his hand in a poor attempt to hide his laughter.

"Sorry, I just… never pegged ya as a  _ dancer _ of all things." Jake mused, clearing his throat to bite back his laughter, though his smile refused to face from his face. "All that tra la la and balancin' and-" he paused, clearing his throat as Taylor scowled at him darkly. " _ Ahem… _ nevermind."

Taylor huffed, averting his eyes and pouting at the opposite side of the room. "Dancing is relaxing. It's  _ fun _ and it's good for you." He said haughtily, glancing over at Jake reproachfully as he fought to keep his newest bout of laughter contained. "I'm assuming you don't like to dance then?"

"I couldn't dance if me life was dependin' on it." Jake scoffed, his amusement clear as he snickered quietly. "Two left feet don't even cover it. Becca used to try and get me to help her practice for her classes but… uh…" Jake trailed off, clearing his throat as he looked away; firmly pushing all thoughts of his sister as far from his mind as he could. "So uh, what was that earlier? Sleepin' like the  _ dead  _ and all… why ya laughin'?" He asked, smiling as Taylor hid his mouth behind his hand and sniggered.

"I just... oh god." Taylor snorted, rolling his head on the wall as he laughed and looked over at Jake in fond exasperation. "I thought we already put to bed all of your hollywood fantasies about me?" He asked, raising a brow when Jake grinned wolfishly at him.

"Theories? Maybe…" He mused, twisting himself around so that he caged Taylor against the wall. "Fantasies..?" He murmured, leaning closer to trail his nose a half inch from Taylors throat, his pulse rising at the redhead's shiver. "Never." He whispered smugly, smirking when Taylor tensed and cleared his throat.

"Jake... " he sighed, shaking his head as Jake lifted his own, though he groaned with frustration when Jake leaned closer to him and slowly dragged a hand over his hip. "You're dripping… you're gonna get me all wet!" He complained, his hands rising to push at Jake's shoulders carefully, forcing him back slowly. "We uh, we should get you dressed. I am not prepared to have wasted all my time and effort healing you, just for you to die of-"

"Ya always been warm…" Jake interrupted quietly, fighting the careful pressure Taylor tried to deter him with, as his hand slid across his stomach. Taylor paused, his lips parting slightly as his cheeks slowly flushed with warmth, his confliction clear as Jake flicked his eyes down to his rising hand. "Ya had warm hands whenever ya helped me up… and now, ya warm  _ here. _ " He murmured, his palm smoothing over Taylor's chest as it rose and fell heavily, his breathing shallow as Jake slowly lifted his clear eyes to meet his clouded dark blue gaze. "Ya heart's beatin' like crazy…"

"You try having an irritating little whelp touch you up, see how fast  _ your _ heart beats." Taylor said waspishly, swallowing heavily before sucking in a deep and shaky breath, licking his lips and pushing again at Jake's shoulders; though he used noticeably less force than his previous attempt. "You must know from experience… a hot guy touches you, it's gonna get a reaction out of yo-"

"Ain't had any." Jake said quietly, taking advantage of Taylor's momentary shock to lean forward and skim his lips briefly against his jaw, before Taylor jerked away to frown at him. "Only been one guy in my head since I was a kid. Was different then… innocent." He whispered, drinking in Taylor's reactions as he fidgeted against the wall. "Once I got older, got  _ bigger _ … it started changin'." He explained, grinning when Taylor blinked and tried to catch his breath, thrown off by the confession. "That one guy in my head… he's the only one I wanted in my bed." He whispered leadingly, smirking as he rest his free arm against the wall beside Taylor's shoulder and leaned against his frozen hands.

"I-I… I don't-" Taylor stammered, shaking his head as his hands slowly sank back beneath Jake's gentle but insistent resilience. "A guy with no experience  _ cannot _ kiss like you do." He stated firmly, frowning at Jake as he grinned back at him smugly.

"Hey, I never said anythin' about not practicin'..." Jake said lowly, licking his lips playfully. "Had to make sure I had some way of temptin' ya, if I ever got the chance to see ya again." He said, his sharp eyes locked onto Taylor's throat as his pulse visibly jumped, the redhead's eyes closing as he grit his teeth and determinedly held himself still, while Jake leaned closer and grazed his hips against Taylor's. "I never thought I would, after the hospital… but I hoped."

"You have a funny way of showing it." Taylor bit out roughly, his eyes opening as he slid them sideways to meet Jake's intent gaze with a hard glare. "I seem to recall you weren't all too pleased to see me when I tracked you down and turned up in your house-" he said, hissing and lowering his burning gaze when Jake pressed himself flush against the redhead, revealing the extent of his arousal against Taylor's hip through his towel.

"Ya left it three goddamn years, and ya timin'  _ sucked _ ." Jake growled in Taylor's ear, his breath causing goosebumps to rise on Taylor's flesh as he shivered. "I was pissed off. At you, at me, at Mike… at the fuckin'  _ world _ ." He drawled, his lips parting as he grinned and rocked against Taylor, hovering just out of his reach, but close enough that the redhead was forced to look up at him. "Then ya just waltz on in, like ya fuckin' own the place... expectin' me to be grateful that ya blessed me with ya goddamn presence! Never even realisin'..." he huffed, pausing as his chest heaved quickly, his heart thudding rapidly against his ribs as Taylor sucked in a deep breath. "There weren't a goddamn  _ day _ passed by that ya didn't leave my damn thoughts. Not a goddamn day, that I didn't wish ya took me with ya."

"Why the hell would I take you with me?" Taylor demanded, tipping his head back to the wall and attempting to sneer at Jake, though the flush in his cheeks and the tightening grip of his fingers on Jake's shoulders belied the effect. "I don't stay in one place long enough to get comfortable, I don't meet people more than once!  _ Both _ of these rules got screwed to hell because of you! I'm sure as hell not gonna break another and let you weasel your way any deeper in than you already have!" He hissed, narrowing his eyes as they tinged with red.

"Why not?" Jake replied glibly, his parted lips hovering just before Taylor's, as he flicked his eyes over the redhead and rolled his body sinuously against him. "Ya ageless, gorgeous…  _ endless _ . What the hell do  _ you _ have to be scared of?" He demanded lowly, his breath on Taylor's throat causing him to shiver. "What d'ya think could possibly happen to ya, exactly, huh..? What's so wrong with ya lettin' me stay-?"

"I  _ won't _ watch you die!" Taylor roared, scowling at Jake as a tense heartbeat of silence passed between them at the confession. Jake nodded slowly in sudden understanding, as Taylor's face twisted with grief, irritation and embarrassment; gripping Jake's shoulders tightly and tensing to push him away. Jake sensed what was coming and quickly grabbed Taylor's arms, shoving them back to the wall and simultaneously falling forward, sealing his mouth over Taylor's as he held his breath. Taylor growled, thrashing as he tried to shove Jake away without injuring him, while Jake leaned all his weight into Taylor and nipped at his lip roughly, thrusting his tongue passed quickly when they parted with a muffled yelp of surprise. Taylor squirmed, gripping Jake's shoulders as he plundered the redhead's mouth hungrily, teasing his tongue with not quite timid licks until Taylor finally groaned with frustration and slid one hand to the back of Jake's neck; his fingernails digging into the soft flesh and pulling him closer, as his tongue delved forward in answer to Jake's taunting.

Jake hummed low in his throat, his pulse racing as he separated from Taylor only to suck in an urgent gasp of breath, before his lips crashed again to the redheads. His hands ran over Taylor's arms, fingers splayed as they curled over his shoulders and he then dragged them down over the redheads sides, delighting in the feel of the other man beneath his hands at last. He moaned as Taylor's teeth grazed his lip, the redhead pulling back abruptly with a guilty hiss as Jake instead surged forward and bit his shoulder less than gently. "I ain't dyin'." He promised in a harsh whisper, his lips and teeth dragging over Taylor's exposed throat, rising to his jaw as the redhead panted against the wall and nipping the skin as he moved back toward his mouth. 

"Urgh, you're such a stubborn little-" Taylor growled, his hand rising to his hair and tugging sharply with frustration, his dark blue eyes bleeding into red as he held himself stiffly against the wall.

"Told ya before…" Jake murmured, his parted lips hovering before Taylor's as he rolled his erection into the redhead's hip slowly, grinning smugly when Taylor moaned and closed his eyes, his rigid posture melting as he arched off the wall in response. "I ain't  _ little _ anymore." Jake leered, his clear eyes rapt on Taylor as his eyes slowly opened to reveal a vivid scarlet, his breath catching in awe at the hesitance which melted away beneath his intent gaze.

"... my mistake." Taylor huffed, humming eagerly when Jake brushed his lips over the redheads. "Oh…  _ fuck _ ." He bit out, growling as he lunged forward and sealed his mouth to Jake's, giving in to his relentless persistence and teasing as he wrapped an arm behind his neck to pull him closer.

Jake took full advantage of Taylor's weakened resolve, his hands restless as they gripped and explored his waist, dipping beneath his shirt as Taylor gasped; uncharacteristically thrown by Jake's override of his careful control. Jake's kiss deepened, drawing Taylor further from the wall as he began to tug insistently at the hem of his shirt, slowly sliding his hands along the hard planes of muscled torso beneath and simultaneously forcing his shirt higher. He rocked against the redhead, his stomach burning as it collided with Taylor's bare skin, his teeth nipping hungrily at his lips when they parted to suck in a much needed gulp of breath; and jerk Taylor's shirt over his head. With the obstruction gone, Jake wanted to pause and run his eyes over Taylor, but sensed that any pause now would only lead to the return of Taylor's hesitation. Instead he swept him into another deep kiss and pressed him harder to the wall, smothering Taylor's body with his own. Jake moaned softly, his leg half rising and nudging insistently between Taylor's legs, until the redhead finally groaned and allowed them to part; his kiss faltering briefly as he choked on a moan, his breathing heavy as Jake's knee slid higher and ground maddeningly slowly against his swelling erection.

Taylor hissed, as Jake's hands gripped his hips, holding him against the wall and refusing him the urge to rock against him. "I was right…" Taylor bit out, his fingers clawing at Jake's shoulder as his lips parted in a gasp, his free hand scratching a light trail down Jake's chest as he dragged his teeth roughly over the erratic pulse in the redheads throat. His eyes narrowed as Jake surfaced, his hand smoothing over Jake's bare stomach and finally gripping his towel, yanking hard at the knot and tugging him forward, crushing himself against the wall with a needy groan as Jake panted and slid his fingers beneath his trouser waistband. "You're  _ lethal _ ." He huffed, as Jake chuckled breathlessly, quickly reclaiming Taylor's lips with his own and moaning as Taylor yanked on the towel again; leaving Jake bare against him, his hard cock straining against Taylor's groin as his fingers squeezed the flesh beneath his trousers and urgently began to shove them down over his hips.

Taylor's hand shot to Jake's wrist, his crimson eyes meeting clear blue as he pulled back from Jake's kiss and scrutinised him intently. Jake's chest heaved urgently as he panted for breath, lifting his free hand to Taylor's cheek and brushing the skin gently. Taylor's breath caught; and he surged forward to meet Jake's next kiss halfway, his lips demanding as he shifted his weight between legs, helping Jake hurriedly free him of his trousers and moaning when his dick was freed of the confining material, arching himself closer to Jake with a shuddering gasp of air. " _ Shit _ -" he cursed, lifting his feet for Jake to tug his trousers off quickly before he rocked against him, drawing muffled groans from them both as bare flesh met bare skin; erections pressed snugly between them.

Jake's hands squeezed Taylor's newly bared ass, his fingers clutching at the soft globes and pulling him away from the wall and into Jake, drawing a deep throated moan from him as Taylor writhed beneath his commanding touch. "Taylor…" he breathed, his lips recapturing the redheads after a brief gulp of air, denying him the chance to reply. He dragged his hands slowly over the globes of Taylor's ass, squeezing them a final time before dropping to the backs of his thighs. He bent his knees briefly, and lifted Taylor as he straightened, slamming him forcefully against the wall. Taylor threw his head back and gasped, arching toward Jake as he locked his legs over his hips and gripped him tightly between his thighs. Jake's heart thudded rapidly in his chest, bracing himself against the wall with Taylor's weight, while glancing down and freeing a hand from the redheads thighs; stroking his weeping cock and collecting the thick fluid, his hand drifting to Taylor's ass and smearing the precum over his entrance with trembling fingers.

"Having second thoughts, wolf..?" Taylor panted above him, a feral smirk on his lips as Jake looked up to meet his eerily glowing, scarlet gaze. "Scared?" He taunted, a breathless laugh escaping him as he rolled his head against the wall and ran his tongue over his teeth, while Jake's fingers left his ass and gripped his cock.

"Uh uh…" he huffed, looking down at his shaking hand as he guided his dick to Taylor's ass, swallowing heavily before raising his eyes again with a crooked grin. "Never." He said firmly, his clear eyes burning into Taylor's red intently as he slowly pressed into him. "O… oh-" he rasped, his brow ceasing at the overwhelming warmth which encompassed and squeezed around his hard shaft, watching Taylor's jaw drift open with a soft sigh as his scarlet eyes melted slowly. Jake bit his lip and rocked his hips forward slowly, experimenting with the new sensations which flooded him, clouding his head further with every movement he made. "Ah… hmm!" He groaned, his breath mingling with Taylor's as he crushed him against the wall, though Taylor seemed to relish the hard press of his body against him; and  _ into _ him. Jake felt his balls fit snugly to Taylor's ass, his fingers curling so tightly into his thighs that the flesh turned white around them as he flicked his eyes over Taylor's expression hungrily. "Oh… fuck-" he choked, his cock pulsing within the tight warmth of Taylor's walls, as he pulled halfway back and then thrust himself deeper into the redhead.

"Fuck!" Taylor cursed, growling as his fingernails scratched at the back of Jake's neck, his eyes blazing as Jake thrust into him with a steadily increasing pace, flicking his tongue over Jake's lips teasingly and smirking at him. "Yes… That's  _ just _ what I had in mind." He taunted, his eyes flashing wickedly before he descended upon Jake's mouth with a demanding kiss, a deep growl rumbling within his chest.

Jake moaned, his senses overloaded by Taylor's warmth and scent, his skin beading with sweat as he writhed against the wall, his hips rolling down and forward to meet Jake's increasingly urgent thrusts. "Nnmmm…" he moaned as Taylor dominated his mouth, his thoughts clouding, obscuring everything but the feel of the redhead against and around him; and the rising need to drive himself deeper into him. "Ah..!" He gasped, his lips parting from Taylor's as he threw his head back against the wall and groaned deeply. He tipped his forehead to Taylor's shoulder, groaning tiredly as his head swam with a dizzying assault of pleasure, panting heavily as he dusted rough kisses and bites upon the available flesh.

"Fuck…" Taylor choked, his fingers tightening their hold on Jake's neck briefly, before they drifted to his shoulder and pushed him back; his free hand gripping Jake's throat and forcing him to raise his head. "I will  _ not _ be amused if you die fucking me, Jake." He sneered, frowning as he examined him heatedly, momentarily heedless of the relentless drive of Jake's dick in his ass. "Put me down." He ordered abruptly, narrowing his scarlet eyes when Jake scoffed and instead redoubled his efforts, thrusting harder and faster into Taylor, distracting him and causing him to hiss from a rush of pleasure.

"I just fuckin' got ya where I want ya," he huffed breathlessly, wincing at the wave of dizziness in his head but brushing it off as mere rush of sex driven euphoria. "Sure as hell ain't lettin ya get away now." He groaned, leaning forward against the pressure of the redheads hand on his throat and biting his shoulder roughly, startling Taylor and causing his jaw to drop with a surprised moan, his fingers unintentionally clenching around Jake's throat. "... a-ahh..!" Jake gasped, his eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks as he choked; his hips faltering as he leaned heavily against Taylor.

"Shit-" Taylor cursed, quickly dropping his hand from Jake's throat and rocking from the wall, uncurling his legs from Jake's hips and planting his against the wall, shoving Jake back a step and growling with irritation when they were forced to part. " _ Why, _ " he hissed, scowling at Jake as he grabbed him by the shoulders and helped him keep his feet, as he dragged in a sharp breath. "Are you  _ such _ a stubborn litt-mmph!" Taylor's frustrated scolding was cut short, when Jake cupped his palms to the redhead's cheeks and drew him into a deep kiss, his breathing shallow as his tongue delved forward and collided with Taylor's hungrily.

"Ain't  _ little _ …" Jake hummed weakly when Taylor bit his lip harshly, his rebuke clear despite his feverish response to Jake's kiss. "Ain't dyin'..." Jake repeated in a low mumble against Taylor's lips, as they sucked in rapid gasps of air, ignoring the way Taylor's eyes narrowed as he backed him to the wall again. "Ain't done with ya yet-" he began, only for Taylor to growl and curl his leg behind Jake's. 

"Shut  _ up _ , Jake." He scoffed, yanking Jake's leg hard with his own and pulling him off balance, twisting them in the air do that he landed on his back with Jake above him; protecting him from the fall as much as he could, before rolling them over sharply and pinning him to the ground. "You really think getting your dick back in my ass is more important than your goddamn health? Than your fucking  _ life _ ?" He demanded, his scarlet eyes blazing like fire as he glared down at Jake.

Jake raised his brows, grinning lopsidedly as he ran his hands over Taylor's ass and groaned, rolling his hips upward to drag his dick over Taylor's now sensitive ass. "Is uh… that a trick question, or somethin'?" He asked sincerely, snickering breathlessly as Taylor's fury was briefly eclipsed by surprise.

"You stupid asshole..." Taylor said gruffly, leaning back as he realigned his ass over Jake's dick and lowered himself quickly. His jaw hung slack as he determinedly kept himself upright, his scarlet eyes locked onto Jake as his face rippled with pleasure and awe. Taylor rolled his hips roughly, a low growl rumbling in his chest as Jake ran his hands over the redheads thighs restlessly. "Always getting everything you want." Taylor spat viciously, his eyes closing briefly as he moaned, lifting his ass higher before dropping himself quickly over Jake's cock, his breath quickening further amid his increasingly urgent moans.

"Ah..! N-not everythin'..." Jake panted unevenly, overwhelmed by the near brutal pace which Taylor rode him at. His hands gripped Taylor's hips tightly, his eyes heavily lidded as he met Taylor's intent gaze determinedly. "N-not… ye-  _ oh _ !" He broke off with a gasp, hos head tipping back against the carpet as his toes curled, his hips rising from the floor urgently and burying his cock so deeply within Taylor, that he felt heat swirl rapidly through his gut.

"Not  _ yet _ ?!" Taylor repeated, pausing and merely grinding himself over Jake's cock, clearly relishing the heady moan which Jake couldn't keep himself from voicing, his body hot and clammy as his dick throbbed warningly in Taylor's ass. Jake bit his lip hard and swallowed thickly, desperately trying to control the urges of his body, the feral need to thrust his hips upward and see Taylor lose control with him. He gasped as Taylor leaned forward slowly, his palm gliding over Jake's chest and lingering over his throat. "After  _ everything _ I've done for you…" he hissed, his eyes narrowing and his lips parting as he rolled his ass slowly over Jake's cock. "You  _ dare _ to still demand  _ more _ of me?" He demanded, growling as his hand tightened around Jake's throat slowly.

"Always… hmmph…" Jake hummed, a soft moan escaping him as Taylor kissed him roughly, before quickly retreating, his eyes widening as he licked his lips and found blood staining them. Jake grinned, waving his brows suggestively as he rocked his hips upward sharply, his eyes closing as he relished Taylor's surprised cry of pleasure. He licked his own lip, winking at the spot of blood from where he'd bitten the soft and already abused flesh.

Taylor tensed, his eyes glowing as Jake's fingers clutched his hips and held him still, thrusting with rapid, powerful motions to overwhelm the redhead. "You… you,  _ stupid-! _ " Taylor gasped, his breathing laboured as he tried to fight the urges of his body, choking on barely stifled moans as Jake released one hands tight grip; moving to stroke Taylor's neglected cock with a curious gentleness which did not fit their otherwise urgent intimacy. "Give me… one good reason," Taylor groaned thickly, his hand sliding from Jake's throat and gripping instead at his shoulder. "Why… I should give you… anythin-  _ O-oh _ !" Taylor moaned loudly, his eyes flashing ferally as he slammed his mouth to Jake's briefly, licking at his wounded lip before jerking free; his hand capturing Jake's cheek and forcing his head to the side as he stared at the pulse in his throat.

Jake's heart hammered eagerly in his chest, sensing the need rising in Taylor and holding his throat exposed to him. "Because…" he choked, groaning as he felt Taylor sink over him; his mouth latching onto the join of Jake's throat and shoulder and his teeth grazing the area softly. His breath caught as Taylor bit down abruptly, an extended and overstimulated moan ripping from his throat as his hips faltered, driving himself urgently into Taylor and stilling as he stroked the redhead's cock rapidly. Jake's world narrowed, his heart swelling as euphoria erupted in Jake's gut; his body lit by pleasure and his cock throbbing within Taylor. He felt Taylor's orgasm hit him, humming as the redhead moaned into his throat and his cock pulsed; hot and sticky threads of cum spurting over his hands as he blinked slowly, able to feel his life flow from his body and into Taylor, a giddy smile on his lips as he sighed with bliss. "I love you." He whispered, his hands drifting in a gentle caress over Taylor's back.

Taylor immediately stilled, muffled moans escaping him as he rode out his high, before drawing back to peer down at Jake with wide, crimson eyes. He shook his head and licked his blood stained lips, his hands resting on Jake's shoulders as he shook him urgently. "Jake?  _ Jake _ ! Oh god… you  _ idiot _ !" He hissed, as Jake grinned and chuckled weakly. "Jake! Look at me, godammit! Please!" He snarled, his scarlet eyes watering as he wrinkled his nose. "… Jake!" He choked, as Jake rolled his head against the floor and snickered, gazing up at Taylor adoringly and smiling at the fiery halo of his vivid red hair.

"Ya an angel…" he mumbled, blinking slowly as darkness tinged the edge of his vision; surrounding Taylor in a bright glow as he looked down at Jake with grief stricken eyes which bled from red to dark blue, as he leaned closer and slapped Jake's cheek roughly. " _ My _ angel." He murmured, his thoughts sparking with irritation when his hand wouldn't respond to his desires; wishing he could reach up and wipe the rapidly increasing concern from Taylor's face. "Ain't dyin'..." he promised, grinning when Taylor grimaced and shook his shoulder with more vehemence. "Never dyin'..." he sighed, his brow crinkling weakly when Taylor froze, staring down at Jake with suden suspicion, rapidly draining into dawning realisation. Jake was dismayed to note the creeping fear and horror also in the redhead's gaze, and he groaned as he felt his eyelids droop again, fighting but ultimately failing to peel them open again.

"Jake! No, no, no, no,  _ no _ !" Taylor's distressed cries were muffled to Jake, despite his distantly being aware of how loud the redhead was shouting and how hard he tried to rouse him. " _ Jake _ !" His throat was thick however, and no matter how hard he fought the darkness around him; he couldn't resist the pull of the tide, as he was swept away from consciousness.

"Nng…" Jake rose from the fog of unconsciousness slowly, exasperated to realise upon peeling his eyes open that he was back in bed; and disappointed to find he was alone. "Taylor…" he sighed, shivering at the memory of the redheads touch, his warmth and his bite. "Taylor?" He called, looking at the empty chair beside the bed and pouting when the redhead remained stubbornly silent. "Alright, alright… maybe I overdid it a little. I'm sorry, 'kay?" He reluctantly admitted, grinning lopsidedly and crossing his fingers out of sight. "I promise not to do it again." He called, waiting patiently for the redhead to reply, his grin slowly fading when he heard nothing. "Taylor?" He called again, doubt niggling at his gut as he pulled back his bed covers and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. 

"Taylor..?" He pleaded, his heart lurching at the silence he received in reply. "... shit." He sighed, shaking his head as he looked down at his lap; already knowing it was futile to search the other rooms. He grit his teeth and scrubbed his hands over his face in disbelief, fighting back the sting in his eyes and the tightness of his throat as he was consumed by grief. Jake sniffed, pushing himself to his feet determinedly and walking slowly through to the living room, wincing at the spilt blood still spotting the floor and scratching the back of his neck guiltily. He sighed in resignation, leaning against the wall as he stared at the patch of blood and slowly sank to the floor. His heart constricted as he covered his mouth with his hand, swallowing back the overwhelming grief he felt at the knowledge that once again; Taylor was gone.


	5. The Last Time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo
> 
> hi....
> 
> I have struggled with writing tbh. So sorry this is so late. There's no real reason it shouldn't have been done ages ago... it just wasn't because I just, couldn't write it. for some reason.  
But hey, its here - and I hate it as I always do final chapters; but, its done
> 
> I hope you enjoy this (please do - I'm sorry in advance though!)
> 
> I have Raj's birthday fic ready for the 7th and then I will be back again for Craig on 17th Nov :)  
Sorry for being lax in between but I would rather get things done than lose the thread again like I did with this
> 
> many thanks and much love for all your patience and support - and I hope you can still enjoy this and I haven't, ya know... ruined it
> 
> x My love to you all x

**Forever Young.**

At twenty six, Jake was often surprised he wasn't more of a cynical bastard. He glanced around the bustling street before him, hitching his small duffel bag higher on his shoulder; and finally tugging the flat cap of his hat lower on his brow, dragging his hand over his stubbled jaw and clearing his throat, as he slowly began weaving his way into the crowds.

He'd been travelling five years, on and off; never stopping in any one place for too long. Enough to be certain, nothing more. The longest pause he'd taken had been a forced one, due to a broken leg he'd obtained falling down a mountain while rock climbing. He'd been so thoroughly disgusted by his slip that upon healing; he'd immediately set out to climb the cliff face a second time, determined to reach the top. He'd momentarily felt satisfied to have shown the mountain who was boss, but over time the smugness had faded, leaving him instead only frustrated sensing he'd wasted valuable travel time for something ultimately irrelevant.

His shortest stop however, had been the brief journey to his hometown. He'd witnessed from a distance, safely obscured beneath a tree on the far side of the house; as his family were told of his heroic sacrifice for his country. His mother had been shocked, covering her mouth as she stared at the officer delivering the news. His sister had cried however, almost breaking his resolve to stay hidden as she wailed and struggled to fight her way past their parents, eventually running down the street as their mother chased after her. Jake's throat had tightened, half moving from beneath the safety of his cover; when his father had been handed a medal, a reward for Jake's bravery and service. He watched as his father took the medal, only to turn and hurl it as far as he could. Jake quickly stepped back into cover, staring at the medal where it had fallen several feet in front of him, marvelling at his father's hatred of him; even after being told he was dead. Jake had waited in the shadows for several tense minutes after his father had disappeared inside, glancing down the street to check his sister and mother weren't returning, before darting out from his cover; scooping up his discarded medal as he jogged away, never once looking back as he once more left his hometown, with no intentions of returning again. Jake hadn't even stayed in town for the night to rest, hopping on the first bus out with no idea of his destination. For the first time in his life, he felt oddly free.

Jake shook his head, clearing away the memory as people brushed past him on all sides. He glanced sideways at shop and bar names, finally spotting an unassuming bed and breakfast and ducking inside. "Room for a night." He rasped at the girl at the main desk, tugging a small wallet from his pocket and raising a brow in question.

"For one or uh," she drawled, leaning forward in her chair and indiscreetly squashing her cleavage between her arms. "... for more?" She asked, licking at a glistening lip as she flicked long blonde hair over her shoulder and eyed him hungrily.

"Ya barkin' up the wrong tree, Princess." He replied, snorting at the offended pout she threw at him. "For one." He said firmly, hesitating a moment as he looked down at himself, before clucking his tongue thoughtfully. "With a bath... or shower. Whatever ya got." He said, eyeing the key rack briefly before looking back at the sulking blonde girl.

"Fifty." She snapped petulantly, holding out her hand expectantly as Jake chuckled to himself. He purposely laid the appropriate payment on the desk and slid it forward with his index finger, smirking when the girl seemed to grow more irritated by his aversion of her. "Urgh… first right, sixth door down." She scoffed, picking a key and tossing it at him with a rough gesture towards the end of the hall; after quickly collecting his money and storing it in the cash register.

"Thank ya kindly, Princess." Jake snickered smugly, winking as he reached up to tug his hat lower on his brow. "Better luck next time, eh?" He said with feigned innocence, laughing at her scowl as she folded her arms over her chest. He turned and strolled away, following the girls rough directions to find his room; quickly unlocking the door with his key and heading inside, closing the door with his heel behind him. "Not too shabby…" he mused distractedly, leaning slightly to peer into the basic suites attached bathroom. With a faint hum, Jake strolled over to the bed, dropping his bag to the floor before flopping face first onto the covers and sighing with contentment. "Damn… real feathers." He mumbled, turning his face and grunting with effort as he briefly struggled to free his arm from beneath him; setting an alarm on his watch for three hours time, before allowing himself to fall into a light sleep.

He woke two hours and fifty nine minutes later, blinking slowly and drawing in a deep breath, rolling to his back and staring at the ceiling as he waited for his alarm to go off. He sighed, lifting a hand to his head and dislodging his hat, twisting to tug the small tie from his hair and shaking it loose. He snorted expectantly when his alarm began to sound, turning off the ravenous beeping with a shake of his head, before finally rising from the bed to shuffle his way through to the bathroom. Jake sighed as he turned the taps, the thought of hot water intoxicating when so road weary and, admittedly; dirty. He groaned at the ache of his various muscles while he peeled off his clothes, tossing them to the corner of the bathroom until he went to a laundromat or bought new ones at a charity shop; whichever he discovered first. As he waited for the bath to fill, Jake hesitantly approached the sink, his eyes slowly roving over reflection, critically eyeing the length of his dirty hair and running a hand over the stubble dusting his jaw. "Might've been a bit hasty, skippin' that last motel." He muttered, grimacing as he turned back to the bath and turned off the taps, hissing as he stepped into the still slightly too hot water and finally sighing, as he sank into the deep and soothing water. "Damn…" he hummed contently, relishing the burning tingle on his skin as he practically  _ felt _ the dirt leaving him. "I'm gonna have to actually leave a decent tip at this place." He huffed, snickering to himself as he leaned back and allowed his eyes to drift closed, taking his time to soak and relax. 

His thoughts drifted as he traced idle patterns on the water's surface, enjoying the gentle resistance against his fingers as he remembered the various towns, cities and villages he'd travelled between over the past five years. His lip twitched briefly as he recalled his favourite stop, a small village deep in the woodlands of Tibet which has been calm and beautiful at all times, like that which he so desperately sought; and had yet to find. He sighed as he forced the thoughts away, focusing instead on the water against his skin as he slowly opened his eyes and glanced at a nearby rack for some shower gel, beginning to wash himself lazily as the water steadily cooled around him. When it had lost the worst of its burning heat, Jake sucked in a deep breath and abruptly dunked his whole head under the water, staying submerged for a full four minutes as he held his breath before surfacing slowly. "Ahh..!" He sighed, grabbing the shampoo from the rack and applying a liberal dose to his hair, scrubbing it roughly to clean it thoroughly. He rinsed and then repeated the process twice more, finally grimacing at the dirty water around him and reluctantly pushing to his feet as he pulled the plug. Jake groaned and stretched as he grabbed a nearby towel, holding it in his hands and staring as he always did for a heartbeat, before shaking his head and towelling his hair roughly, before tying the fluffy white garment around his waist. He moved back into the bedroom, grabbing his bag from the floor and dropping it instead on the bed, when he caught sight of himself in a tall mirror beside the bed. "Huh…" he hummed, turning and eyeing himself critically, surprised and unexpectedly impressed to see himself so much better after only a single bath. He was about to look away when his eyes drifted over a single blemish on his skin; a scar at the join of his neck and shoulder, imperceptible to the unassuming eye, but a jagged reminder to himself. He grit his teeth and turned back to his bag, yanking open the zip and rummaging quickly for fresh clothing.

"Quit dawdlin', Grandpa." He scolded himself, pulling on his clothes quickly and barely glancing at his reflection to check his appearance before grabbing his comb from his bag and tugging it through his hair quickly, leaving it to hang loose as it dried. He huffed as he dug a green jacket from his bag, snapping the charity shop tag from its label and swinging it around his shoulders and onto his arms and sighing as he moved back to the bathroom to collect his wallet from his discarded jeans. With a thoughtful hum, he slid it into his pocket and headed for the main door, hesitating before ducking back to the bed for his cap. He tugged it low over his brow as he headed out the door, locking it behind him and trotting back to the main entrance, walking out the door with a wink at the blonde who peered after him with a curious, if somewhat petulant pout.

"Okay… first rule of scoutin'," Jake said as he stepped back onto the street, quickly blending into the hurried stream of bodies and flowing down the street among them, his sharp eyes cutting through the faces to the various signs and advertisements. "Get to higher ground. Or, in this case…" he murmured, glancing down the street and blinking, coming to an abrupt halt and ignoring the complaints of those who had to go around him as he turned to do a double take. " _ Paradise _ ." He breathed, staring at a building on the opposite side of the road for a moment longer, before deftly cutting his way through the crowds, trotting across the road quickly to avoid the traffic. He paused outside the tall building, peering up at the glowing letters high above him as he unconsciously tugged his wallet from his pocket and pulled a small slip of paper free. Jake swallowed thickly, his pulse growing louder in his ears; drowning out the bustle of the sidewalk, as he slowly raised the paper to his eye level and shifted his gaze sideways, to the perfect match of the clubs name. "Well I'll be damned…" he muttered, narrowing his eyes as he looked back at the glowing sign and lowered the paper back to his wallet, returning it to his pocket as he snorted and finally grinned lopsidedly. "Well… if I'm lucky." He snickered, glancing around and tugging his cap down over his brow, before sucking in a deep breath and strolling through the front doors confidently.

Jake hesitated in the main lobby, flitting his eyes across the area quickly before heading towards a door with a brown skinned bouncer in a tight vest and jeans beside it. "Welcome to Paradise…" the man said slowly, eyeing Jake's cap and jacket dubiously, raising a brow and pursing his lips at the attire. Jake rolled his eyes, pulling his wallet free again and drawing another fifty from it, offering it to the man between his index and middle finger. The man hesitated, before finally accepting the note and reluctantly opening the door, gesturing for Jake to enter with a barely repressed grimace. "Do enjoy your visit,  _ sir _ ." He sneered, as Jake snorted and stalked past him.

"Huh," he mused in surprise, his steps slowing as noise assaulted him abruptly, his brows rising at the various energetic displays of either nudity or garish behaviour he saw all around him. "Damn... " he huffed, shaking his head as he slowly made his way through the club, heading for the relative safety of the bar. "And here I thought Babylon was wild." He said, shaking his hip as he leaned his hip against the bar and signalled to the bartender for a drink. "Whiskey, neat…" he said, tipping his chin toward a decent looking bottle on the middle shelf as she sauntered over. "Keep 'em comin'." He added, peeling another note from his wallet and sliding it over the counter as his eyes drifted across the room curiously.

"Like to watch, eh?" The bartender asked, flicking her long dreadlocks back over her shoulder and lowering her aviator sunglasses. "Well, if you ever want something a little  _ more _ sometime-"

"Just that drink." Jake said dismissively, interrupting before she could complete her offer. He glanced over, spreading his palms and raising a brow in feigned ignorance. "If that ain't too much trouble, Predator?" He asked flippantly, smirking when she scowled and slammed a tumbler of whiskey in front of him, before stalking away. "Heh, personal talents; pissin' off the female of the species." He snockered to himself, before sobering abruptly with a sudden frown. "And, on occasion, other males…  _ A _ 'nother male." He mused quietly, picking up his drink and licking some of the spilt liquid from the outside of the glass. He hummed as he sipped from his tumbler, looking around the bar discreetly, careful not to linger and draw anyone's attention; just another forgettable face in the crowd. Not for the first time, he wondered where the strange need to find such a place had come from. He only remembered seeing the name of the club online and instantly being attached to it, carefully copying out the looping sign to a small scrap of paper and tucking it into his wallet, before charting himself a flight to the nearest private airfield. He frowned, shaking the curious insistent tug away as his eyes slid over the various patrons, performers and  _ companions _ .

Jake snorted quietly, watching with discretion over the rim of his glass as a brown haired man in a smart suit sat and spoke to another man beside him, showing zero interest in the dancer perched delicately over his lap, though he was clearly unwilling to let him go; judging by the possessive hand which remained on the back of the dancers thigh. His gaze drifted on, his interest perking at the sight of a gambling den in a secluded corner, complete with craps, roulette and poker. "Earnin' some more funds before headin' out again then." He huffed, his eyes lingering on the poker table another moment, before continuing onward to a stage with large red velvet curtains hanging at the back. He hummed dismissively, glancing at the sign at the front right of the stage to read that the event for the night was a 'fan dance', rolling his eyes and shaking his head dejectedly. "Seedy ass, covert stripper bar." He decided, sighing tiredly as he looked around the room again with a sinking heart.

Jake stared emptily at the far wall for some time, his thoughts distant even to himself as he idled and wallowed in the returning sense of hollow resignation which had eaten at him for five long years. "... not here." He sighed, finally snapping himself free of his dazed state, clearing his throat before draining the rest of his drink and turning back to the bar. "Hey, Predator-"

"Try calling me that again, dipshit, I'll help you extend that pretty smile of yours even wider." The barkeep warned, strolling over and calmly refilling his glass despite her threat. 

"Alright, alright… geez," Jake huffed, reaching up to scratch his cheek awkwardly. "Don't get ya panties in a bunch, Miss Matrix. I only wanted to ask how much to get in on the poker." He said innocently, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb.

The barkeep eyed him a moment longer, lifting her aviator sunglasses and narrowing her eyes as she ran her tongue over her lip thoughtfully. "Five hundred to buy in…" she finally relented, hesitating before sighing and rolling her eyes. "But you'll want at least double, because those guys won't go easy on you for being a pretty boy." She added, watching as Jake as he snorted and drained the remaining amber liquid from his glass, refilling it when he prompted as he pushed off the bar.

"'S alright, I'm a big boy and I know how to play nice with the other kids and all." He scoffed, shaking his head as he raised his glass in mocking salute, slowly backing away as he threw a cocky wink at her. "Don't worry, I'll leave 'em with enough to get a cab home… between 'em." He said, snickering when she finally cracked a lopsided grin and shook her head as he turned and wove his way through the crowds to the gambling corner.

"Evenin' gents," he said by way of greeting, touching the tip of his cap and nodding at them when the card players looked up. "Room for one more fella, who's got more money than sense?" He asked with cocky cheerfulness, a crooked grin curling his lips as the men glanced at each other before gesturing to one of the three empty seats. "Cheers." He said, raising his glass in a mocking toast as he pulled out the offered chair and sat down, digging out his wallet and handing five hundred dollars to the dealer to change into chips. Within minutes, Jake was integrated into the game; playing with careful precision as he learnt the tells and signals of the other players, before delving deeper into the game. He'd been playing for an hour and a half before he started to play more seriously, keeping the other players on their toes by constantly changing his method of play with every hand they were dealt. By the second hour, he had doubled his money and was just beginning to play with increased stakes, the bets higher now that he'd already made a stockpile of chips. It was just as he'd claimed another hand, chuckling to himself as he scooped his winnings over and added them to his stacks of chips, that the evenings entertainment was announced.

"Gentlemen," a man called, strutting across the nearby stage with his arms spread, as Jake flicked a brief glance towards him, before looking back at his chips and placed his entry bet. "It is my great honour, nay… pleasure, to introduce the opening act of the night! We all fight for the chance to introduce this one act, the one you all know by now, the star of Paradise! Gentlemen, turn your eyes to the stage and put your hands together! For the marvellous, the glorious...  _ Angel _ !" The man declared, earning a burst of applause as music flared in the background, quickly moving back off the stage as the great curtains began to part.

Jake frowned, his fingers hovering over his new cards as his heart skipped a beat, his heart thudding hollowly in his throat as he slowly lifted his eyes to the stage; almost too scared to hope there was some higher power at work, who would make the performer fit the name. He blinked at a subtle flick to his arm, glancing around before he looked down at the table, his pulse ringing in his ears as the music hovered daintily in the air and a soft voice began to sing. "Holy fuck…" he whispered, his gaze going straight through his cards as he stared unseeingly, blinding matching the bet as he swallowed heavily and peeked back at the stage.

A huge pair of white fans swished elegantly around the area, each so large they had to be held and controlled with both hands; the two carriers stepping deftly around a third person who's bare skin barely flashed between the giant feathery fans. Jake counted himself lucky the other gamblers were drawn to the rest of the show, knowing he would have happily wasted his entire winnings and more to catch a confirming glimpse of the mysterious singer; though he was no less confused about how he would feel after actually seeing them, if his suspicions proved to be accurate. He shifted in his seat, edging forward to crane his neck and try to peer at the hidden figure. The great white feathers twirled, barely flashing the smallest teasing glimpse of flesh, before twisting around again and once more hiding the precious view within. Jake's fingers curled into his trouser leg, his throat thick as his palms warmed and his forehead prickled with beads of perspiration beneath his hat; his piercing cerulean gaze locked onto the stage intently. 

His pulse spiked at the slow reveal of a leg, before it was carefully cut off from view, instead revealing the graceful arc of a poised arm which caused Jake's lips to part in a silent gasp. He felt a prickling sensation burn at the edge of his eyes, drawing in a deep breath and finally holding it as he licked his lips and forced himself to sit still, hiding his face beneath his hat as the song reached a crescendo and the fans paused; before they were yanked apart and dropped to the side of the stage, Jake's eyes widening as they revealed a sight which stole his held breath and his thoughts past a single, relieved chant.  _ Finally _ .

Jake's sharp eyes barely left him for the remainder of the song, only managing to keep himself in the game by sheer determination and blind luck alone, as he stared from beneath his cap; only briefly dropping his eyes to his cards when absolutely necessary. He drank in the achingly familiar vision, wearing only tight white shorts and a pair or removable angel wings which showed of perfect skin and his vibrant red hair now cropped shorter than Jake had ever seen; though still rebellious atop his head, where short spikes danced almost in sync with the man himself. For the first time in five long and lonely years, Jake felt hope fill the hollowness in his chest and his gut, as he watched  _ his _ angel dance provocatively at the centre of the stage. As the music geared up to the finale, another dancer spun elegantly to join him, beginning to twirl him around in intricate motions which made Jake's feet hurt just to watch. His heart lurched at the heated smiles the pair exchanged as they danced, jealousy flaring fiercely at the familiarity they appeared to share. He drew in a deep breath as the music came to a conclusion, leaving Jake's angel standing centre stage with his dance partner a step behind; though Jake raised a brow at the sudden drop in chemistry between them. kept himself in his seat only by sheer bloody mindedness, determined not to spook the redhead and be forced to begin hunting him down again.

Instead he watched intently as the stage was cleared, the redhead retreating back through the curtain with a wave before a new act took over; Jake's interest immediately lost with the redhead's disappearance. "I swear, that boy gets prettier every damn night." One of the gamblers sighed, shaking his head with a dismissive snort as they returned their full attention to their cards.

Jake frowned, shuffling his cards thoughtfully before finally asking the question which burned at his tongue. "This a... regular gig for him here, then?" He asked distractedly, laying a decent card to deliberately play a bad hand; sealing his appearance of a starstruck new fan.

"Aye." Another player replied, switching some of his cards as he glanced at the centre of the table. "Same damn song, every night for… what is it now? Two? Three years?" He mused, tossing in his chips and frowning over at the other players.

" _ Years _ ?" Jake scoffed in disbelief, his eyes widening as he raised his face enough to meet the amused gazes of the other players briefly, before dropping his eyes back to his cards and swallowing thickly. "Seems uh, kinda long time to be singin' same song on repeat, ain't it?" He asked, casting a confused look towards the stage and catching his breath before he could gasp, watching as the redhead weaved slowly through the crowds to the bar; an air of hostility emanating from him as he sat on a stool and claimed a waiting drink, utterly ignorant of the various awed faces around him. "He ain't ever taken a night off?" He added, watching the redhead drink heavily enough he could likely rival Jake's own ability.

"Not a one." One of the other players scoffed, grimacing as they tossed a card away and took another from the dealer. "Not for a cold, or a family emergency, or even just 'cause he's damn well sick of it." They grumbled, scowling over at the bar where the redhead sat drinking alone. "Friendliest looking fella you could ever see when on stage, but once he hits that bar… well, you ain't never seen a temper like his, lemme tell you."

"Ah, c'mon Phil, ya not still sore he turned you down, are you?" Another player snorted, rolling their eyes as they tool their turn, while Jake sat and discreetly watched the redhead drink. "Don't put the poor newbie's hopes down already, just because you made him angr-"

"All I did, was tell him he was mighty pretty!" Phil replied with a snarl, as Jake looked over at him sharply, his clear eyes intent as he watched the other man scowl at the redheads back. "He flipped a goddamn table like it was nothing and yelled at me to get the hell out!" He growled, his cheeks a dull red with embarrassment.

"Well, you are kind of an annoying asshole, Phil…" another player said flippantly, the table all snickering at the teasing as Jake's gaze slid back to the redhead, softening as the corner of his lip twitched into a lopsided grin.

"Huh…" he hummed, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth thoughtfully. "Well whaddaya know?" He breathed, continuing to keep half a watch on the redhead as he drank, while simultaneously integrating himself back into his gambling.

A week later, Jake was half hidden in the shadows of a dark alley at the back of the club, waiting to put into motion the first step of a plan which he'd been slowly putting together. The first few nights he'd been hesitant, almost afraid to look at the stage directly while  _ his _ angel danced and sang in a variety of different styles; though his new gambling friends had been right. Always, always; the same song. Jake had spent restless hours trying to fathom some hidden meaning in the lyrics, desperately trying to understand any hint he might have at hand, though he was ultimately unsuccessful. As the week continued to pass, the redhead showed no signs of fleeing and Jake slowly came to realise that the man was almost entirely oblivious of the world around him unless it directly interacted with him. He was the opening show every night and after every performance he moved immediately to the bar, where he would remain; unmoving save for to refill his glass, until closing time at the very least. Now, as he waited in the shadows of the alley just before closing, Jake couldn't help but ponder what might have happened to steal the spark of life which his fiery haired angel had always exuded. He tensed and held his breath as a door opened suddenly, a lone figure emerging as they wrapped a scarf around their neck and immediately began to walk away. Jake's heart thudded giddily, his pulse racing in his ears as he followed the figure silently, trailing then the entire journey back to their small apartment a block and a half away. He waited with his back to the wall of a corner as they slid a key into a locked door, turning and stuffing his hands into his pockets as they turned the key, lowering his head as they opened the door and began to step through. Just as Jake was about to pass, he struck; grabbing the man as he gasped and shoving him into a sparse living room, quickly closing the door behind him with his heel and turning to slam the guy he'd been tailing against the wall. "Do me a favour and keep ya damn mouth shut. I ain't gonna hurt ya… 'less ya piss me off, but ya ain't gonna do that, are ya?" Jake drawled lowly, his sharp eyes meeting the guys fearfully wide eyes as they shook their head rapidly. "Good. I'm gonna let ya go now… and I want ya to walk nice and calm, go sit on ya crappy little couch, 'kay?" He said, waiting for the guy to nod again, before narrowing his eyes and slowly removing his hands from the guys coat.

The guy swallowed heavily, his hands rising to clutch at his jacket before his chest as his eyes darted to the door, before he seemed to swipe the obvious idea from his mind and instead shuffled over to the couch. "W-what do you want?" He asked nervously, perching on the very edge of his couch and peeking up at Jake as he followed a step behind and came to stand before him. "I don't have any m-money…" he said, his breath quickening as he began to hyperventilate. "Please! I d-don't have anything! Please! Don't hurt m-!"

"Pipe down, already." Jake sighed, shaking his head as he removed his hat and shook his head, freeing his ponytail from his jacket. "I told ya before, I ain't gonna hurt ya. I-" he paused, sucking in an irritated breath as he frowned down at the man on the couch. "I need ya help." He reluctantly bit out, scowling as the guy blinked up at him in surprise.

"Mister, you got a funny way of asking for it…" the guy blinked, lifting his hand to his face and running his fingers through the dark brown strands distractedly. "I don't know what you want mister, but I'm not sure I can hel-" he began, trailing off when Jake snorted and rolled his eyes.

"If ya couldn't, I wouldn't be here, Kiddo." He said gruffly, biting his lip awkwardly as he paused and cleared his throat. "See, thing is… I uh," he huffed a sharp sigh, irritated at himself for sounding like such an idiot. "Look… there's somethin' I gotta get a stubborn dumbass to understand. But, if I just try goin' to talk to 'em, well they're gonna see me comin' and will have skipped town before I can get within fifty paces; and I'm gonna have to spend another five years, or  _ more _ , trackin' 'em down again…" he explained in a rush, ignoring the warmth in his cheeks as he averted his gaze slightly, staring at the couch cushion. "I gotta get close enough to 'em to talk… and  _ you're  _ the only one I seen anywhere near 'em."

The guy blinked several times, his brow slowly creasing into a frown as he clearly put the pieces together. "Angel…" he breathed in realisation, his eyes widening as he looked back up at Jake in surprise. "You're talking about  _ Angel! _ I- mister, I know he's beautiful but trust me, you don't wanna make him mad. He's really weird and… and he  _ really _ doesn't like people." He said flatly, looking over at Jake with a small frown. 

Jake huffed and couldn't fight the twitch of his lips as fondness and affection briefly rippled through him. "Yeah… I know." He snickered softly, shaking his head as he realised the other man was staring at him suspiciously. "I uh, heard he flipped a table 'cause someone hit on him." He said dismissively, averting his eyes again for a brief moment before shifting them back to his hostage. "Look, flatterin' as it is that ya worryin' and all; don't. He ain't gonna hurt me and worst case scenario, tomorrow ya gotta perform on ya own." He finally said, spreading his palms innocently. "Take over as star of the show maybe? Finally get to do a different number..?"

The guy's suspicion wavered a moment longer, before it was swept aside by intrigue. Jake smirked, knowing he'd already won and tapping his toes in sudden agitation. "... what 'help' do you need from me?" The guy finally asked slowly, his lips twisted into a grimace of uncertainty as Jake grinned and winked at him cockily.

"Kid… ya just took on the best role ya ever gonna get; and I'll pay ya well for it too." He said smugly, moving to sit beside the other man with a flourish and throwing his arm around his shoulder, drawing him closer and chuckling darkly as his eyes glinted with mischievous intent. "Now, what I need for ya to do is…" 

Two weeks later, Jake was stood nervously wiping suddenly sweaty palms on white leather trousers, his heart racing as he waited in a darkened room for his cohort. It had taken him a week to concede to his 'helpers' snarls of disbelief, finally accepting his original plan was unlikely to succeed. With the heated exchange of several harsh words, Jake had finally relented and accepted a compromise from his cohort, following their advice as best he could to keep the majority of his plan in tact. Another week and the night had finally come for him to face  _ his _ angel, whether said angel liked it or not. He took a deep breath and exhaled with a sharp huff, raising both hands and running them through his hair as his stomach twisted with anticipation and agitation. He turned at the sound of a door opening, a familiar face appearing with a cheeky grin as they waved him through into the bright hallway. "Told you nobody ever goes in there." The guy snickered, shutting the door behind Jake as he ran his eyes over him critically. "You clean up pretty well, mister… kind of a shame you're gonna be smeared on the floor in about twenty minutes or so." He sighed, before shrugging his shoulders and gesturing for Jake to follow him down the hall. "C'mon then… it'll be time in about ten minutes." He said, leading the way to a backstage door and holding his fingers to his lips in a warning to stay quiet.

Jake rolled his eyes but complied with the silent order, following his guide on light feet to the right side stage curtain and quickly disappearing behind the heavy folds of material. "Wait here and keep quiet… he'll come through briefly but so long as you don't do anything stupid he won't notice you. He's getting progressively more… uh, unobservant." His cohort said, as Jake frowned and shook his head, unable to imagine his angel unaware of his surroundings or anything within a fifty mile radius of himself. He hummed noncommittally, nodding to show he understood as his cohort returned the gesture and then carefully arranged the curtain around him, leaving a discrete gap for Jake to watch the stage while still remaining hidden. "Alright, well… you're probably the craziest, stupidest, absolutely  _ dumbest _ idiot I've ever had the displeasure to meet," he said, as Jake rolled his eyes and barely contained a snort of amusement. "But, even so… good luck, mister. I uh, hope you don't end up too much of a bloody pulp." He added quickly, before moving away as the backstage door opened again.

Jake held his breath, tensing as he listened to the soft and slow approach of footsteps, hos mind transported back to that of a small boy; staring in awe as a fiery crowned angel stepped out of the shadows and into the light. He blinked rapidly, chasing the thoughts from his mind as he tried to focus himself on the task which lay before him. "Hi Angel, I was just… you know, getting ready for the show and all." The guy laughed awkwardly, as Jake closed his eyes and shook his head, ready for the redheads suspicion to kick in at the obviously guilty tone.

"Bully for you." The redhead drawled, as Jake's eyes slowly peeled open, his brow furrowing at the dismissive sneer. "Would you like a gold sticker for doing what you're supposed to?" He heard the redhead sniff, hia lip twitching and his heart fluttering at the hint of the man's familiar dry humour. "Just make sure you get the timing right and ya know… sweep me off my feet." He sighed, as Jake's brow creased again, thrown by the defeated tone of the redhead.

"Yes, sir…" Jake's cohort agreed easily, as Jake drew in a carefully concealed breath. "I won't let you down." The guy promised, as Jake watched the announcer walk out to centre stage, beginning to charm the crowd and draw their attention for the opening performance as always.

"Gentlemen!" The man at centre stage called, as Jake listened intently to the redhead getting into position and finishing his final touches. "Please put your hands together for the man who needs no introduction, the shining star of our show, the glimmering ember of our hope-"

"Oh god, please shut up before I kill you." Jake heard the redhead mutter wearily, a grin spreading over his face as hope and relief flared within his heart; realising  _ his _ angel was still somewhere inside the bored, stage performer.

"The magnificent…  _ Angel! _ " The announcer called, gesturing toward the back of the stage as he quickly walked off the edge of the stage and into the crowd, watching the thick curtain rise as music began to pour from the large speakers hidden around the stage. Everything beyond the stage fell into a haze as Jake watched a spotlight flare to life, setting the fiery spikes on fire beneath a shimmering white halo. Jake's attention was focused entirely upon  _ his _ angel, the last thing that mattered to him in an otherwise lifeless world. He shifted his weight, his stomach knotting with anticipation as the redhead slowly lifted his head in time with the rising curtain before him.

" _ Let's dance in style, let's dance for a while…"  _ the redhead sang softly, poising his foot into a delicate half step forward as he lifted a hand to his chest. _ "Heaven can wait, we're only watching the skies." _ He crooned gently, a nostalgic smile lighting his face as he gazed forward into the crowd. _ "Hoping for the best but expecting the worst, _ " he sang lightly, half shrugging a shoulder as he finally completed his single step forward. " _ Are you gonna drop the bomb or not?" _ He asked, tilting his head with a convincing show of innocent curiosity. _ "Let us die young or let us live forever…"  _ He mused, his eyes sliding away from the crowd as he lowered them to the stage, causing Jake to frown as he felt the wave of guilt which emanated from the redhead. _ "We don't have the power but we never say never…" _ he sang indifferently, shaking his head minutely as he rolled his hip and dragged his arm through the air beside him. _ "Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip,"  _ he sang quickly, flicking his wrist in a dismissive gesture as he stepped forward. _ "The music's for the sad men." _ He hummed, shaking his head as he swept his arm in a wide arc before him and twirled across to the other side of the stage.  _ "Can you imagine when this race is won?"  _ He sighed longingly, smiling coyly as he looked back at the crowd, nostalgia touching the dark blue orbs which Jake could just make out from where he was hidden.  _ "Turn our golden faces into the sun..."  _ he sang, tilting his face upward and closing his eyes, extending his hand into the spotlight as if calling to someone.  _ "Praising our leaders, we're getting in tune…" _ he sang, his eyes opening and staring into the light with a hollowness which made Jake's heart ache.  _ "The music's played by the... the mad men." _ He sniffed, his eyes cutting sharply back to the crowd as he forced a small smile.

_ "Forever young, I want to be forever young…" _ he crooned soothingly, lifting his hands over his head and tipping his head back temptingly. _ "Do you really want to live forever, forever... and ever?" _ He asked teasingly, flashing the audience a secretive smile as he rolled his body enticingly to the music. _ "Forever young, I want to be forever young…"  _ he sang quietly, his eyes lit by a brief flash of amusement as Jake watched him turn to his side. _ "Do you really want to live forever?"  _ He asked, raising a brow as he cocked his head curiously and curled an arm about his own shoulder.  _ "Forever young…" _ he sang softly, maintaining his facade of serene calm a moment longer, before grinning broadly and swinging his hip in a wide arc; his arm rising over his head as the music pace abruptly switched from a slow, sweet tune to a fast and seductive melody.

_ "Some are like water, some are like the heat…"  _ he sang, smiling coyly as he slowly dragged his hand over his chest. _ "Some are a melody and some are the beat!" _ He continued, as he swung his hips provocatively. _ "Sooner or later, they all will be gone…" _ he sang, his dark eyes seeming to dim briefly as Jake felt a wave of sadness and loss sweep over him. _ "Why don't they stay young..?" _ He demanded, his hidden hand balling into a fist briefly, before he turned his back on the audience and peeked back over his shoulder at them, grinning mischievously as he waved his ass to the music without shame. _ "It's so hard to get old without a cause,"  _ he sang, dropping his eyes to the floor with a teasing pout. _ "I don't want to perish like a fading horse…" _ he added, turning back towards the crowd slowly and raising his gaze.  _ "Youth's like diamonds in the sun," _ he drawled, lifting a hand to elegantly sweep across his neck, a diamond bracelet glistening in the spotlight.  _ "And diamonds are forever…"  _ he sang lowly, winking as he rolled his hips to the beat of his song seductively. _ "So many adventures couldn't happen today…"  _ he sighed, lifting his arms over his head as he moved his body fluidly to the music.  _ "So many songs we forgot to play!" _ He cried, his eyes closing and crinkling at the corners as he turned his face into the spotlight and danced provocatively.  _ "So many dreams swinging out of the blue…"  _ he sang quietly, his eyes slowly opening as he looked out into the crowd with an emptiness which made Jake’s heart ache.  _ "We let them come true!" _ He crooned, sweeping his arms around himself as he spun and moved forward to take the centre of the stage.

_ "Forever young, I want to be forever young…"  _ he sang, twirling in a graceful pirouette.  _ "Do you really want to live forever, forever... and ever?" _ He asked, tilting his head as he curled his arms around his torso and dragged his hands over himself suggestively as he danced.  _ "Forever young, I want to be forever young…" _ he repeated, his voice catching as Jake frowned, watching intently as the redhead hesitated a half second too long before continuing.  _ "Do you really want to live forever, forever... and ever?" _ He demanded, his lower lip trembling as Jake shifted his weight in preparation to move, his heart hammering in his chest as his brief chance of persuasion fast approached. _ "Forever young!" _ The redhead called abruptly, his voice wavering as he turned his face into the spotlight and squeezed his eyes shut. _ "I want to be forever young..!"  _ He yelled determinedly, Jake bounced on the balls of his feet, the tight coil of tension springing him into action as the music reached its peak.  _ "Do you really want to live forever?!" _ He cried, his final note lingering as Jake smirked and watched the redhead lift his arms slowly, dashing forward into the perfectly timed embrace and latching an arm around his waist, pulling him closer than he knew the redhead was expecting.

“Ya know…” he drawled, grinning lopsidedly as the redhead abruptly tensed in his arms, a hiss of surprise escaping him as Jake sauntered around the edge of the stage as he’d learnt over the past week; carefully counting steps in his head so he wouldn’t miss his next cue. “I’ve been waitin’ for ya to ask me that for fuckin’  _ years _ .” He said, barely glancing at his feet as he took two quick steps to the side and then launched into four precise, wide stepped twirls. When he received no snarky answer, Jake bit his lip; his gaze locking on the redhead’s tightly squeezed eyes as he allowed Jake to steer him around the stage. “... Taylor?” He murmured tentatively, the hand at the redhead’s back brushing over his skin in the hopes of offering comfort.

Taylor swallowed heavily, his chest shuddering against Jake as he drew in a deep breath and dug his nails into Jake’s back. “What the  _ hell  _ are  _ you _ doing here?” He demanded, his eyes opening to reveal furious dark blue orbs, smoldering at Jake with shock, irritation; and a spark of relief which he was unable to conceal. “How the hell did you even  _ find _ this place?” He hissed, barely managing to keep a smile on his face for his performance as he began to shuffle along to Jake’s simple routine, throwing out his free arm to match Jake’s pose as he twirled them slowly, moving their bodies together in a consistent rolling motion. 

“I’ve been here a couple weeks…” Jake admitted quietly, tipping his head discreetly to the gambling corner. “Tryin’ to figure out a way to talk to ya… real question though, is what the hell are  _ you  _ doin’ here?” He said, his brow creasing as Taylor’s gaze shuttered closed, his jaw locking in obvious refusal to answer. “What the hell happened to, ‘I never stay too long, never more’n a couple nights,’ and all that other stuff ya said?” He pushed as Taylor averted his eyes, repeating his two step shuffle before pulling Taylor closer, as he spun four wide arcs around the stage.

“ _ You  _ happened!” Taylor hissed, scowling briefly before carefully rearranging his face into a smile as he reluctantly returned his gaze to Jake. “You and your  _ stupid- _ ” he choked, his fingernails breaking the skin on Jake’s back as he gripped him far too tight, his emotions spilling over despite his best efforts to keep them contained.

“Taylor, I’m sorry… I said it soon as I woke up, but ya’d already split.” Jake said in a rush, knowing his time was fast running out as he danced as best he could. “Look, I just… I got lost in it, alright? I wanted ya for so goddamn long, to  _ be  _ with ya,  _ stay _ with ya… then every time I just think I got ya where I want ya and I think I might be able to keep ya; it’s like ya were never there.” He tried to explain quickly, beginning the third rotation of his routine; knowing it would be the last. “I’m sorry for pushin’, but just… Christ, Taylor… I just spent five _years_ searchin’ for ya. Don’t ya know?” He asked urgently, throwing out his arm as they twirled gracefully, while Taylor’s expression twisted into an uncertain frown. “Even if ya take off again soon as this song ends… I ain’t ever gonna stop lookin’ for ya.” He swore, his cerulean eyes piercing through Taylor’s expression of uncertainty as he blinked in surprise.

“What?” He said blankly, frowning as he took two quick steps to the side with Jake, before twirling in four great arcs around the front of the stage. “Why would you waste your life like that? You should just go home and forget all abou-”

“I ain’t _ever_ gonna be able to forget ya, Taylor... so don’t insult me by finishin’ that sentence.” Jake said firmly, his jaw locking briefly before he shook off the building sense of rejection in his heart. “I did go home. Got there just as the Navy did.” He said stiffly, holding out his arm for Taylor to pirouette beneath, as the redhead frowned at his change in tone. “Gave me folks a medal for my sacrifice to the country…” he said, his gaze turning distant as the futility of his hopes began to fester in his gut. “Pop threw it away, still too disgusted to even accept a damn medal. So, I grabbed it and ran. Sold it in the next town and then just… wandered around, tryin’ to find ya.” He said, drawing Taylor close and unconsciously squeezing his arm around his waist, desperate to feel the redhead against him for as long as he could. 

“Why?” He asked, frowning at Jake as their movements slowed, heedless of the music as Jake sighed and looked down at Taylor longingly.

“Don’t be an idiot, ya know damn well why.” He huffed, shaking his head fondly as he finally tugged his arm and pulled Taylor closer. “Ya think I learnt to dance and grew my hair out for me?” He asked, snorting quietly as Taylor blinked with surprise. “I told ya five years ago and nothin’s changed…” He said, tipping his head forward to rest against Taylor’s gently. “I love ya.” 

Taylor flinched as Jake closed his eyes, folding both arms around the redhead and holding him for whatever time he had left, listening to the music fade slowly around them; leaving them in the stunned silence of the audience. Finally Taylor huffed an irritated sigh, his hands gliding over Jake’s sides to cup his cheeks and force his head back, waiting for him to open his eyes before speaking further. “You are such a  _ stubborn _ little wolf.” He complained, his lips twitching as his eyes sparked with a familiar sense of life and amusement. He clucked his tongue thoughtfully and ran his eyes over Jake, biting his lip as his cheeks dusted with pink. “Though… I really  _ can’t _ call you little anymore, can I? Considering I know first hand how big you… uh…” he trailed off, a lopsided grin finally hitching his lip upward as Jake’s breath caught in his throat.

“Heh,” he eventually huffed, swallowing as he fought off the sting in his eyes. “I been tellin’ ya that for years.” He snickered, his heart throbbing in his chest as he slid his hands to Taylor’s waist and held him close. “Ya know... I’m older’n ya now as well as taller, so ya gonna have to start doin’ stuff I say now…” he said leadingly, grinning as Taylor snorted and rolled his eyes.

“I think I still have a few years on you yet, wolf.” He snickered, his fingers gliding over Jake’s cheeks to begin toying with the ends of his hair, his expression turning sombre as his eyes darkened with a deep swirl of red. “I thought I’d killed you…” he admitted, shaking his head slightly as Jake nuzzled his jaw comfortingly. “I tried healing you and nothing worked. Your heart just; stopped. I couldn’t-” he bit his tongue to keep from continuing, as Jake sighed and caressed his back softly, his lips dropping to Taylor’s shoulder.

“Even if ya had, it wouldn’t have been  _ your  _ fault, ya know?” He said, lifting a hand to Taylor’s jaw and tracing the backs of his knuckles across the skin gently, his heart aching at the guilt which he realised Taylor had been living with. “I’m the one who was stupid, alright? I just… I wanted to be with ya. I didn’t want ya to leave me behind again, I wanted to be strong enough to stay by ya side. Always.” He explained, sighing as he shook his head in frustration. “I don’t think I really thought about how to  _ actually  _ do that, past… well, ya know.” He said awkwardly, gritting his teeth and averting his eyes as his cheeks warmed with embarrassment.

“Jake…” Taylor sighed, his expression torn as he forced Jake to meet his gaze. “I’ve never tried to…” he hesitated, searching for words as his eyes darted between Jake’s urgently. “I never tried to make anyone else…  _ like me _ . I’m not sure I can! I might just kill you… and honestly, I don’t think I could take that. Especially not _now_.” He admitted, biting his lip guiltily as he kept is eyes determinedly locked onto Jake’s. "You make me feel very old… and very weak. I'm not used to that." He added quietly, his eyes drifting to where his fingers were curling gently in Jake's hair.

Jaew drew in a deep breath, glancing at the halo still perched on Taylor's fiery red hair like a crown. "Taylor…" he said slowly, taking the redheads cheeks carefully between his palms. "Ya'll always be young… and ya'll always be beautiful." He said firmly, snickering at the way the redheads breath caught at the promise, his lower lip trembling with unfamiliar vulnerability. "And ya  _ always _ … gonna be  _ my _ angel." He added playfully, flicking Taylor's halo with a small chuckle.

Taylor snorted with quiet exasperation and shook his head, his gaze softening at Jake's familiar and infuriatingly cocky bravado. "Oh god…" he drawled, exaggerating a weary sigh as his hands drifted from Jake's hair to his shoulders and squeezing gently, his breath catching as he hesitated, his dark blue gaze locked intently into Jake's piercing cerulean eyes. "I'm gonna be stuck with you  _ forever _ , aren't I?" He huffed, a slow smile curving his lips as Jake winked cockily. "... You sure you'll still want me, once you're an immortal, beautiful monster like me?" He asked, oblivious of the crowds staring both in front of; and behind the stage.

Jake smirked, his hands flat on Taylor's back as he held him flush against him. " _ Always _ ." He murmured in answer to both questions, dipping his head lower to brush his lips over Taylor's, enticing him into a deep and kiss which slowly stole his breath; content to take his time with the gentle gesture which marked the end of their lives alone; and the beginning, of an eternity together.


End file.
